Search

We present the quantum field description of Galilean electrodynamics minimally coupled to massless Galilean fermion in (3 + 1) dimensions. At the classical level, the Lagrangian is obtained as a null reduction of a relativistic theory in one higher dimension. We use functional techniques to develop the quantum field description of the theory. Quantum corrections to the propagators and vertex are obtained upto first order and the theory is found to be renormalizable to this order. The beta function of the theory is found to grow linearly; the theory is not asymptotically free., Comment: Results and presentation unchanged. Publication details updated- Published in JHEP

Postcardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is an emerging condition including pericarditis with or without pericardial effusion after an injury to cardiac tissue. Data are lacking on its incidence and clinical predictors after cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) placement. We therefore performed this meta-analysis to determine the incidence of PCIS. Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched according to PRISMA guidelines from February 2007 to February 2017 for studies evaluating pericardial complications subsequent to CIED implantation. Primary outcome was the total number of cases of pericarditis, pericardial effusion, and cardiac tamponade documented. Of 2931 references, 22 articles (enrolling 188,944 patients) were included. Pooled estimates from random-effects analysis showed an overall incidence of 5.82 per 1000 patients (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.33–8.17) at 30 days, and 1.60 per 1000 (95% CI: 0.13–3.07) at 1 year. Advanced age and prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery were associated with increased rates of pericardial complications. Our analysis revealed that CIED implantations are associated with a low incidence (0.6%) of pericardial complications at 30 days. Patients with advanced age and prior CABG are high-risk patients for pericardial complications.

We construct the free Lagrangian of the magnetic sector of Carrollian electrodynamics. The construction relies on Helmholtz integrability condition for differential equations in a self consistent algorithm, working hand in hand with imposing invariance under infinite dimensional Conformal Carroll algebra. It requires inclusion of new fields in the dynamics and the system is free of gauge redundancies. We next add interaction (quartic) terms to the free Lagrangian, strictly constrained by conformal invariance and Carrollian symmetry. The dynamical realization of the non-semi simple infinite dimensional symmetry algebra at the level of charge algebra is exact and free from central terms., 35 pages, 2 figures, Presentation modified, Results unchanged

Background Blood transfusions though life-saving are not entirely benign. They are the most overused procedure in the hospital and have been under scrutiny by the 'Choosing Wisely campaign'. The strict adoption of restrictive transfusion guidelines could improve patient outcomes while reducing cost. Objectives In this study, we evaluate adherence to restrictive transfusion guidelines, along with hospital mortality and length of stay (LOS) in transfusion events with a pre-transfusion haemoglobin (Hb) ≥7 g/dl. Additionally, we evaluated associated costs accrued due to unnecessary transfusions. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study in a 64-bed medical intensive care unit (MICU) of an academic medical centre involving all adult patients (N = 957) requiring packed red blood cell transfusion between January 2015 and December 2015. Results In total, 3140 units were transfused with a mean pre-transfusion Hb of 6.75 ± 0.86 g/dl. Nine hundred forty-four (30%) transfusion events occurred with a pre-transfusion Hb ≥7 g/dl, and 385 (12.3%) of these occurred in patients without hypotension, tachycardia, use of vasopressors, or coronary artery disease. Forgoing them could have led to a savings of approximately 0.3 million dollars. Transfusion events with pre-transfusion Hb ≥7 g/dl were associated with an increased mortality in patients with acute blood loss (odds ratio [OR] 2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-3.88; p = 0.02) and LOS in patients with chronic blood loss (β1 .8.26, 95% CI 4.09-12.43; p Conclusion A subset of anaemic patients in the MICU still receive red blood cell transfusions against restrictive guidelines offering hospitals the potential for effective intervention that has both economic and clinical implications.

BACKGROUND Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) has become more widely used during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to avoid the complications of general anesthesia (GA). METHODS We included consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral-TAVR at our institution between January 2012 and April 2017. We compared outcomes with GA versus MAC. RESULTS Of 998 patients, MAC was used in 43.9%. MAC was associated with shorter procedural time (96.9 ± 30.9 vs. 135 ± 64.6 mins; p

Background: The conventional method of implanting balloon-expandable SAPIEN-3 (S3) valve results in a final 70:30 or 80:20 ratio of the valve in the aorta:left ventricular outflow tract with published rates of permanent pacemaker around 10%. We sought to evaluate whether higher implantation of S3 reduces conduction abnormalities including the need for permanent pacemaker. Methods: We included consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement using S3 between April 2015 and December 2018 and compared outcomes with typical valve deployment strategy to our more contemporary high deployment technique (HDT). We excluded patients with nontransfemoral access or valve-in-valve. Results: Among 1028 patients, HDT was performed in 406 patients (39.5%). Mean implantation depth under the noncoronary cusp was significantly smaller with HDT compared with conventional technique (1.5±1.6 versus 3.2±1.9 mm; P P =0.216). Thirty-day permanent pacemaker rates were lower with HDT (5.5% versus 13.1%; P P P P =0.804), or moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation (1% versus 2.7%; P =0.081) at 1 year. HDT was associated with slightly higher 1-year mean gradients (13.1±6.2 versus 11.8±4.9 mm Hg; P =0.042) and peak gradients (25±11.9 versus 22.5±9 mm Hg; P =0.026). However, Doppler velocity index was similar (0.47±0.15 versus 0.48±0.13; P =0.772). Conclusions: Our novel technique for balloon-expandable S3 valve positioning consistently achieves higher implantation resulting in substantial reduction in conduction abnormalities and permanent pacemaker requirement after transcatheter aortic valve replacement without compromising procedural safety or valve hemodynamics. Operators should consider this as an important technique to improve patient outcomes.

Introduction: New permanent pacemaker (PPM) requirement has been linked with left ventricular dysfunction after TAVR. Objective: We sought to study the impact of new PPM on echocardiographic outcomes after TAVR with SAPIEN-3 (S3) valve. Methods: We included consecutive patients who underwent TAVR with S3 valve at the Cleveland Clinic between April 2015 and December 2018. Patients with prior PPM were excluded. Echocardiograms were reviewed to determine left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic volume index (LVEDVi), left ventricular end systolic volume index (LVESVi), left ventricular dimension during diastole (LVDd), posterior wall thickness during diastole (PWTd), interventricular septum during diastole (IVSd), right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) grade. Results: Among 886 patients, the rate of 30-day PPM was 10.2%. Baseline LVEF was similar between new PPM and no PPM (55.4 ± 12.7% vs. 57.2 ± 11.2%; p = 0.188). There were no differences in the other studied echocardiographic parameters at baseline. Among patients with new PPM, LVEF was lower at both 30 days (54.4 ± 11.3% vs. 58.4 ± 10.1%; p = 0.001) and 1 year (54.2 ± 12% vs. 59.1 ± 11.3%; p = 0.009) compared to no PPM with Δ LVEF -0.9% vs. +1.4%; p = 0.023. There were no differences in LVEDVi (52 ± 20.8 vs. 48.3 ± 17.6; p = 0.186) at 1 year. LVESVi was higher with new PPM (24.8 ± 16.1 vs. 20.2 ± 10.9; p = 0.038). However, Δ LVESVi was similar between the 2 groups (-1.6 vs. -2.6; p = 0.517). There were no differences in RVSP (38.9 ± 14.1 vs. 40 ± 14; p = 0.58). LVIDd, PWTd, IVSd and IVC diameter also did not show variations whether patients were paced or not. Moderate to severe TR rates were similar as well (17.7% vs. 21.5%; p = 0.407). Conclusion: Among S3 TAVR recipients, new pacing requirement had a detrimental impact on LVEF at both 30 days and 1 year. However, it did not seem to affect the other studied echocardiographic outcomes after TAVR.

Introduction: Pre-existing atrial fibrillation has been linked with poor outcomes among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Objective: We sought to study the impact of baseline atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF) on outcomes after TAVR with SAPIEN-3 (S3) valve. Methods: All consecutive patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR with S3 valve at the Cleveland Clinic between April 2015 and December 2018 were included. Results: We included 1028 consecutive patients. Overall, the mean age of our study population was 81 ± 8.9 years, 58.8% were males, 95.8% were Caucasians. Pre-existing AF was present in 432 patients (42%). STS risk score was higher with AF compared to no AF (6.7 ± 3.8% vs. 5.4 ± 3.4%; p < 0.001). Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower with AF (54% vs. 58%; p < 0.001). The rates of 30-day permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation were similar between AF and no AF (11.4% vs. 9.4%; p = 0.326), as were the rates of new-onset left bundle branch block (LBBB) at discharge (9.6% vs. 9.4%; p = 0.901). There was also no difference in stroke rates at 30 days between the 2 groups (1.6% vs. 1%; p = 0.385). Post-TAVR mild or greater aortic regurgitation (AR) was higher with AF compared to no AF (21.5% vs. 16%; p = 0.022). LVEF was lower with AF at both 30 days (56% vs. 58.5%; p < 0.001) and 1 year (56% vs. 59%; p < 0.001). However, the change in LVEF (Δ) after TAVR was similar between AF and no AF (+1.1% vs. +1.4%; p = 0.624). At 2 years, all-cause death was higher with AF (22.9% vs. 12.8%; log-rank p = 0.011). There was no mortality difference between persistent versus paroxysmal AF (log-rank p = 0.714). Conclusions: Among our S3 TAVR patients, AF did not affect PPM, new-onset LBBB or stroke rates after the procedure. AF was associated with higher mild or greater AR at 30 days, as well as lower LVEF at both 30 days and 1 year compared to no AF. There was significantly higher all-cause mortality in the AF group at 2 years after TAVR.

Introduction: Both hereditary (hATTR) and wild-type (wtATTR) transthyretin amyloidosis are under-recognized causes of cardiomyopathy (CM) and heart failure. Certain findings on Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (cMRI) are suggestive but not diagnostic of ATTR. Although biopsy historically has been the gold standard for diagnosis, patients can be diagnosed with the highly sensitive and specific technetium-99m pyrophosphate scan (Tc-99m PYP). Genetic testing is recommended to confirm hATTR in patients diagnosed with ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. Despite growing awareness of this condition, many cases remain undiagnosed. This study evaluated if patients with TTEs concerning for infiltrative CM received appropriate diagnostic testing for ATTR-CM. Methods: Our echocardiography registry was queried from January 2011 to March 2020 for patients with our echo lab’s embedded infiltrative CM code. Data on demographics, comorbidities, TTE variables, cMRI results, PYP scans, genetic testing and biopsy results were retrieved from electronic medical records. Thorough manual chart review excluded other causes of CM. Data was expressed as mean ± SD and n (%). Results: We retrieved 510 patients (mean age 64 ± 16 years; 43% female) with TTEs suspicious for infiltrative CM revealing a mean interventricular septal diameter (IVSd) of 1.6 ± 0.3 cm. Only 67 (13%) patients underwent cMRI with 11 (16%) suggestive of cardiac amyloidosis. Of the patients with suspicious TTEs, 16 (3.1%) had PYP scans and 24 (4.7%) had tissue biopsy, with positive results in 7 (44%) and 11 (46%), respectively. Genetic testing in 31 (6%) patients revealed known hATTR mutations in 2 (6.5%) patients. Cardiac amyloidosis was diagnosed in 23 (4.5%) with 11 ATTR (2 hATTR), 5 amyloid light chain, and 7 unknown subtype. Conclusion: Despite clinical and TTE findings suspicious for ATTR-CM, many patients did not undergo appropriate confirmatory testing (see Figure 1).

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common occurrence in an intensive care unit. The reported mortality in studies evaluating acute respiratory distress syndrome is highly variable. The adherence to ventilatory specific and adjunctive therapies is also highly variable. We investigated the mortality of ARDS since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and examined the adherence to ventilatory specific and adjunctive therapies.Methods: We performed a systematic search in MEDLINE and EMBASE using a highly sensitive criterion from January 2009 to May 2019. We then ran a proportional meta-analysis for mortality and a meta-regression analysis using certain variables to address heterogeneity. Results: We screened 5361 citations, of which 85 fully met inclusion criteria. The weighted pooled mortality of all 85 studies published from 2009 to 2019 was 38% (95% CI 35,40). Mortality was higher in observational studies [40% (95% CI 37, 42)] compared to RCTs [35% (95% CI 30,39)], (p=0.04) Significant variability exists in literature of reported tidal volumes, positive end expiratory pressures, plateau pressures, and use adjunctive therapies. The tidal volumes in our systematic review ranged from 5.8 to 8.9 ml/kg with a mean of 7.2 ml/kg. PEEP ranged from 4.6 to 16.1 cm H2O at the time of enrollment with a mean of 10.2 cm H2O. Reported plateau pressures ranged from 21.0 to 35.1 cm H2O, with a mean of 25.6 cm H2O. Higher reported initial PaO2/FiO2 ratios were associated with decreased mortality. A trend towards decreased mortality was seen with lower reported tidal volumes in the included studies.Conclusions: Over the last decade, the mortality in ARDS has marginally improved and there exists significant heterogeneity in the utilization of low tidal volume strategies, application of PEEP and the adoption of adjunctive therapies in the management of these patients in published literature.

ObjectiveTricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity has known adverse implications, its impact on patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (NCS) remains unclear. We sought to determine the impact of TR on patient outcomes after NCS.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study in patients undergoing NCS. Outcomes in patients with moderate or severe TR were compared with no/trivial TR after adjusting for baseline characteristics and revised cardiac risk index (RCRI). The primary outcome was defined as 30-day mortality and heart failure (HF), while the secondary outcome was long-term mortality.ResultsOf the 7064 patients included, 312 and 80 patients had moderate and severe TR, respectively. Thirty-day mortality was higher in moderate TR (adjusted OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.25 to 4.76) and severe TR (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.04 to 7.79) compared with no/trivial TR. There was no difference in 30-day HF in patients with moderate TR (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.90 to 2.44) or severe TR (OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.60 to 3.39). The adjusted HR for long-term mortality in moderate TR was 1.55 (95% CI 1.31 to 1.82) and 1.87 (95% CI 1.40 to 2.50) for severe TR compared with no/trivial TR.ConclusionIncreasing TR severity has higher postoperative 30-day mortality in patients undergoing NCS, independent of RCRI risk factors, ejection fraction or mitral regurgitation. Severity of TR should be considered in risk stratification for patients undergoing NCS.

Constructing the outer crust of the neutron stars requires the knowledge of the Binding Energy (BE) of the atomic nuclei. Although the BE of a lot of the nuclei is experimentally determined and can be obtained from the AME data table, for the others we need to depend on theoretical models. There exist a lot of physical theories to predict the BE, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. In this paper, we apply Machine Learning (ML) algorithms on AME2016 data set to predict the Binding Energy {of atomic nuclei}. The novel feature of our work is that it is model independent. We do not assume or use any nuclear physics model but use only ML algorithms directly on the AME2016 data set. Our results are further refined by using another ML algorithm to train the errors of the first algorithm, and repeating this process iteratively. Our best algorithm gives $\sigma_{\rm rms} \approx 0.58$ MeV for Binding Energy on randomized testing sets. This is comparable to all physics models or ML improved physics models studied in literature till date. Using the predictions of our Machine Learning algorithm, we construct the outer crust equation of state (EoS) of a neutron star and show that our model is comparable to existing models. This work also demonstrates the use of various ML algorithms and a detailed analysis on how we arrived at our best algorithm. It will help the physics community in understanding how to choose an ML algorithm which would be suited for their data set. Our algorithms and best fit model is also made publicly available for the use of the community., Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures, github link and neutron star outer crust EoS

OBJECTIVES We investigated the hemodynamic durability of the transcatheter aortic valves (TAVs) using the updated Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) criteria. BACKGROUND The updated VARC-2 consensus criteria combine flow-dependent and flow-independent echocardiographic parameters for hemodynamic assessment of TAVR. Data on the hemodynamic durability of TAV and clinical risk factors associated with valve hemodynamic deterioration (VHD) are lacking. METHODS All patients (n = 276) who received TAV between 2006 and 2012 and had ≥2 follow-up echocardiograms were studied. RESULTS During a median follow up period of 3.3 (1.8-4.4) years, 8 patients (3%) developed moderate to severe valve stenosis per the VARC-2 criteria, while 20 had mild stenosis. In a Cox proportional hazards model analysis, moderate to severe stenosis by VARC-2 criteria was associated with younger age (P = 0.03, HR 0.94), absence of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (P = 0.026, HR 0.18), and lower baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P = 0.006, HR 0.94). Longitudinal analysis using a mixed effect model showed that presence of stenosis by VARC-2 criteria was associated with an increase in aortic valve mean gradient (P

Balloon predilation (BPD) has been an integral part of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) since inception. We sought to investigate the effect of avoiding BPD on outcomes of TAVI across different valve types. Articles were included if outcomes of TAVI without BPD were reported. Pooled meta-analysis used a random effects model and reported odds ratios (ORs). Twenty-one studies with 10,752 patients were pooled for analysis. Age and gender were well matched between NoBPD and BPD groups. There was no difference in mortality, stroke, bleeding, and acute kidney injury. NoBPD showed lower pacemaker rates (OR 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72 to 0.97), vascular complications (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.95), and early safety at 30 days (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.99). For balloon-expandable valves, lower rates of aortic regurgitation (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.99) and early safety (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.85) were seen. Self-expanding valves showed lower pacemaker (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.97) and vascular complications (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.99), with a trend toward higher postdilation (OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.67). TAVI without BPD is safe and effective. NoBPD is associated with fewer vascular complications, less aortic regurgitation, and fewer pacemaker requirements and composite early safety end points.

Background: The transapical (TA) route for mitral valve-in-valve (MVIV) and mitral valve-in-ring (MVIR) techniques has been predominantly used. Currently, there is an increasing trend towards the transseptal (TS) route. The purpose of the study was to assess the outcomes of TA and TS access for percutaneous MVIV and MVIR techniques in terms of procedural success, 30-day mortality, major bleeding events and valve embolization.Methods: A comprehensive literature search of EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane CENTRAL was completed. We identified and pooled all studies reporting either the TS or TA approach for MVIV or MVIR with at least five patients using weighted proportional analysis. For analysis we used studies reporting the outcomes of percutaneous MVIV or MVIR based on the TS/TA approach.Results: From the initial 1,993 abstracts, 15 studies reporting on 236 patients were analyzed to find the pooled estimate of the endpoints. In the TA arm, 11 studies were included, and in the TS arm, 8 studies wer...

OBJECTIVES To determine if fractional flow reserve guided percutaneous coronary intervention (FFR-guided PCI) is associated with reduced ischemic myocardium compared with angiography-guided PCI. BACKGROUND Although FFR-guided PCI has been shown to improve outcomes, it remains unclear if it reduces the extent of ischemic myocardium at risk compared with angiography-guided PCI. METHODS We evaluated 380 patients (190 FFR-guided PCI cases and 190 propensity-matched controls) who underwent PCI from 2009 to 2014. Clinical, laboratory, angiographic, stress testing, and major adverse cardiac events [MACE] (all-cause mortality, recurrence of MI requiring PCI, stroke) data were collected. RESULTS Mean age was 63 ± 11 years; the majority of patients were males (76%) and Caucasian (77%). Median duration of follow up was 3.4 [Range: 1.9, 5.0] years. Procedural complications including coronary dissection (2% vs. 0%, P = .12) and perforation (0% vs. 0%, P = 1.00) were similar between FFR-guided and angiography-guided PCI patients. FFR-guided PCI patients had lower unadjusted (14.7% vs. 23.2%, P = .04) and adjusted [OR = 0.58 (95% CI: 0.34-0.98)] risk of repeat revascularization at one year. FFR-guided PCI patients were less likely (23% vs. 32%, P = .02) to have ischemia and had lower (5.9% vs. 21.1%, P

Objectives The SAPIEN 3 valve (S3V) was designed to overcome the shortcomings of its predecessor, the SAPIEN XT (SXT) valve. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare their clinical outcomes and procedural characteristics. Methods PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched by two independent reviewers. The clinical outcomes of interest were paravalvular leakage (PVL), major vascular complications (MVC), bleeding, acute kidney injury (AKI), device success, need for post dilation all-cause mortality and procedural details. Results Fifteen observational cohort studies were included in the analysis involving a total of 4,496 patients. Of these, 1,700 were S3V recipients and 2,796 were SXT recipients. The S3V group showed fewer complications compared to the SXT group with respect to PVL (5.58% vs. 19.35%, OR: 0.27, P: 0.000), MVC (4.07% vs. 9.13%, OR: 0.44, P: 0.002), bleeding (6.40% vs. 12.03%, OR: 0.50, P: 0.003), 30-day mortality (3.29% vs. 5.68%, OR: 0.51, P: 0.000), and stroke (1.48% vs. 2.86%, OR: 0.49, P: 0.014). Device success was higher in the S3V (98.18% vs. 93.76%, OR: 3.14, P: 0.000). Cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, AKI and post-dilatation were not significantly different. Permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) was higher in S3V recipients (13.29% vs. 9.23%, OR: 1.58, P: 0.000). Procedure time was shorter for the S3V (71.94 vs. 86.85, P: 0.016) and used less contrast volume (129.36 vs. 161.18, P: 0.049). Conclusions Patients receiving the S3V had lower risk of PVL, MVC, bleeding, mortality, and stroke. PPI was somewhat higher in the S3V group. S3V implantation was faster and used less contrast.

Ranolazine was FDA approved for chronic angina in 2006. Since then, there has been extensive research involving this drug. The mechanism of action, debatable at the time of approval, has been demonstrated. Ranolazine acts via inhibition of late sodium channel current in the myocardium. This acts by lowering abnormally high cytosolic calcium levels. Other possible clinical applications of Ranolazine have also been explored. Out of many lines of investigation, its effects in atrial fibrillation, especially post-CABG and recurrent atrial fibrillation show promise. It has also shown definite HbA1c lowering effects when used in diabetics with coronary artery disease. Other possible indications for the drug include pulmonary arterial hypertension, diastolic dysfunction and chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. This review aims to summarize major research regarding Ranolazine in potential applications beyond chronic angina. There are few dedicated large, randomized, phase III trials exploring the newer effects of Ranolazine. There are a few such trials underway, but more are needed.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an underdiagnosed illness often affecting the elderly population. Ankle brachial index (ABI) is a good diagnostic tool for PAD in outpatient practice, but remains underused. Materials and methods: Patients were recruited from an outpatient medical camp in rural India, and assessed for symptoms and pre-existing risk factors. Measured ABI ≤ 0.9 was considered abnormal and considered PAD. Results: Out of 100 patients recruited, PAD was diagnosed in 57 patients. Associated risk factors were like age >55 years (67%), hypertension (66%), smoking (69%) and diabetes mellitus (35%) were common. Conclusion: PAD is a very common and underdiagnosed illness in rural India. A simple tool like ABI can help diagnosis in underserved areas. Keywords: Peripheral arterial disease, Ankle brachial index, Screening

Transcatheter aortic valves are prone to acute recoil similar to the metal-based coronary stents. However, it is not clear if recoil remains a factor only after the initial valve deployment or also after post-dilation.We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients who underwent transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with SAPIEN-3 valve. Acute recoil at the upper, central, and lower levels of the valve was calculated in both anteroposterior right anterior oblique (RAO) and lateral left anterior oblique (LAO) views after initial deployment as well as after post-dilation. The average recoil of the RAO and LAO views was also calculated and described as RAO/LAO.The acute recoil in the RAO/LAO views (mean ± SD) was 3.9 ± 1.1% after valve deployment in the whole study population (n = 257). Among the subset of patients who required post-dilation (n = 133), the mean acute recoil in the RAO/LAO views was found to be greater after initial valve deployment as compared with after post-dilation (3.8 ± 1.1% vs. 3.0 ± 0.9%; p .001). Further, acute recoil was significantly greater in the RAO view than the LAO view and at the central level of the prosthesis as compared with the upper and lower levels. Those findings were consistent after initial deployment as well as after post-dilation. Clinical outcomes were similar between patients who required post-dilation compared to those who did not. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, only smaller valve cover index was found to be an independent predictor of 30-day mild or greater aortic regurgitation (OR 0.007; 95% CI 0.0001-0.707; p = .035).Acute elastic recoil of the SAPIEN-3 valve was significantly less after post-dilation as compared with after deployment. It was also greater when measured in the RAO view as compared with the LAO view. Furthermore, acute recoil was not homogenous across the height of the valve stent frame.

The aim of this study was to determine the utility of rapid atrial pacing immediately after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to predict the need for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI).Risk stratification for patients without high-grade atrioventricular block (AVB) after TAVR is imprecise and based on anatomic considerations, electrocardiographic characteristics, and clinical suspicion. A more reliable assessment is necessary to minimize inpatient rhythm monitoring and/or reduce unnecessary PPI.Consecutive patients undergoing TAVR at 2 centers were included. After valve implantation in patients without pacemakers who did not have complete heart block or atrial fibrillation, the temporary pacemaker was withdrawn from the right ventricle and placed in the right atrium. Rapid atrial pacing was performed from 70 to 120 beats/min, and patients were assessed for the development of Wenckebach AVB. Patients were then followed for clinical outcomes, including PPI.A total of 284 patients were included. Of these, 130 (45.8%) developed Wenckebach AVB. There was a higher rate of PPI within 30 days of TAVR among the patients who developed Wenckebach AVB (13.1% vs. 1.3%; p 0.001), with a negative predictive value for PPI in the group without Wenckebach AVB of 98.7%. A greater percentage of patients receiving self-expanding valves required PPI than those receiving a balloon-expandable valves (15.9% vs. 3.7%; p = 0.001), though these rates were still relatively low among patients who did not develop Wenckebach AVB (2.9% and 0.8%).Atrial pacing post-TAVR is easily performed and can help identify patients who may benefit from extended rhythm monitoring. Patients who did not develop pacing-induced Wenckebach AVB demonstrated an extremely low likelihood of PPI.

Intravenous vancomycin-induced hemolysis has been documented in the literature. This has been presumed to be due to the development of antibodies against additives that are added along with antibiotics. Herein, we present the case of a 72-year-old male who had hemolysis after the placement of vancomycin spacer, which improved after the spacer was removed.

Background Balloon postdilation ( BPD ) has emerged as an effective strategy to reduce paravalvular regurgitation ( PVR ) during transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ). We investigated the utility of a time‐integrated aortic regurgitation index ( TIARI ) to guide balloon postdilation ( BPD ) after valve deployment. Methods and Results All consecutive patients who had echocardiography, aortography, and hemodynamic tracings recorded immediately after valve deployment during TAVR were included in the study. Catheter‐derived invasive hemodynamic parameters were calculated offline. Among 157 patients who underwent TAVR , 49 (32%) patients required BPD to reduce significant PVR after valve deployment. Two experienced operators decided whether the patients required BPD for significant PVR . Median TIARI measured immediately after valve deployment was significantly lower in patients who required BPD when compared with patients who did not require BPD ( P TIARI (odds ratio: 0.81; P =0.003) and higher PVR grade on aortography and echocardiography ( P BPD . Adding TIARI to echocardiography and aortographic PVR assessment resulted in a significant increase in global χ 2 ( P P =0.002), and combined C‐statistics of 0.99 for predicting BPD . Higher TIARI after valve deployment was associated with better survival (hazard ratio: 0.94, P =0.014), while other hemodynamic and imaging parameters did not predict mortality after TAVR . Conclusions Among patients undergoing TAVR , a TIARI measured immediately after valve deployment adds incremental value to guide BPD over aortography and echocardiography. Higher residual TIARI is associated with better survival after TAVR .

Background Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes for patients with significant calcification have been consistently inferior compared to patients without significant calcification. Procedural success and long-term outcomes after PCI have been worse in patients with severe coronary calcium. Objective A Bayesian meta-analysis of outcomes comparing rotational atherectomy (RA) with orbital atherectomy (OA) was performed. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through 30th November 2018 and identified 4 observational studies. Results The primary end-point, Major Adverse Cardiac Event (MACE) composing of death, MI and stroke at 1 year was more likely with RA (OR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.11–2.33; p = 0.01) as compared to OA. The driver of the difference in MACE between the two groups was a statistically significant difference in mortality favoring OA (OR = 4.65; 95% CI: 1.36–15.87; p = 0.01). Peri-procedural MI, the other component of the primary end-point was 1.3 times more likely in the RA arm (OR = 1.35; 95% CI 0.95–1.92; p-0.09) and was not statistically different between the groups. The odds of a vascular complication were not different in the two groups (OR = 1.26; 95% CI: 0.73–2.17; p = 0.41). In an adjusted Bayesian analysis, mortality (OR = 3.69; 95% CI: 0.30–38.51), MACE (OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 0.55–5.49), MI (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 0.50–4.29) and dissections/perforations (OR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.10–1.38) were not different in RA and OA groups. Conclusion Our study is the first published Bayesian meta-analysis comparing MACE and peri-procedural outcomes in RA compared to OA. These findings lay the foundation for a randomized comparison between the two competing technologies.

Objectives Determine the outcomes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) covered stents for coronary artery perforation (CAP) and coronary artery aneurysm (CAA). Background PTFE covered stents have been used for treatment of potentially life-threatening CAP and CAA. The short and long-term outcomes of the PTFE covered stent for CAP and CAA have not been well studied. Methods We performed a retrospective study of PTFE covered stents that were placed in the patients from 2003 to 2017. Short term outcomes included in-hospital mortality, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, and length of stay. Long-term outcomes included target lesion revascularization (TLR), in-stent restenosis (ISR), and long-term mortality. Results Fifty-three PTFE covered stents were placed in 32 patients of which there were 24 patients with a CAP with a mean age of 75 ± 8 years. Two patients died in-hospital, with no additional deaths at 30 days. The rate of ISR was 25%, with estimated rates of TLR of 2.6% (3 years) and 17.8% (5 years). The median survival was 55.6 months, with survival at 10 years estimated to be 30.9%. Eight patients received a PTFE covered stent for CAA with a mean age of 59 ± 15 years with no in-hospital or 30-day mortality. Median follow-up of 49 months showed no evidence of TLR. The all-cause mortality was 12% at 1 year and 38% at 3 years. Conclusions PTFE covered stents is an effective option in patients with CAP and CAA. The long-term outcomes may be related to the pathology of the disease rather than the stent itself.

We investigate the existence of action for both the electric and magnetic sectors of Galilean Electrodynamics using Helmholtz conditions. We prove the existence of unique action in magnetic limit with the addition of a scalar field in the system. The check also implies the non existence of action in the electric sector of Galilean electrodynamics. Dirac constraint analysis of the theory reveals that there are no local degrees of freedom in the system. Further, the theory enjoys a reduced but an infinite dimensional subalgebra of Galilean conformal symmetry algebra as global symmetries. The full Galilean conformal algebra however is realized as canonical symmetries on the phase space. The corresponding algebra of Hamilton functions acquire a state dependent central charge., Comment: 27 pages, no figures

BackgroundCoronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are increasingly diagnosed on coronary angiography; however, controversies persist regarding their optimal management. In the present study, we analysed the long-term outcomes of patients with CAAs following three different management strategies.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of patient records with documented CAA diagnosis between 2000 and 2005. Patients were divided into three groups: medical management versus percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We analysed the rate of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) over a period of 10 years.ResultsWe identified 458 patients with CAAs (mean age 78±10.5 years, 74.5% men) who received medical therapy (N=230) or underwent PCI (N=52) or CABG (N=176). The incidence of CAAs was 0.7% of the total catheterisation reports. The left anterior descending was the most common coronary artery involved (38%). The median follow-up time was 62 months. The total number of MACCE during follow-up was 155 (33.8%); 91 (39.6%) in the medical management group vs 46 (26.1%) in the CABG group vs 18 (34.6%) in the PCI group (p=0.02). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that CABG was associated with better MACCE-free survival (p log-rank=0.03) than medical management. These results were confirmed on univariate Cox regression, but not multivariate regression (OR 0.773 (0.526 to 1.136); p=0.19). Both Kaplan-Meier survival and regression analyses showed that dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and anticoagulation were not associated with significant improvement in MACCE rates.ConclusionOur analysis showed similar long-term MACCE risks in patients with CAA undergoing medical, percutaneous and surgical management. Further, DAPT and anticoagulation were not associated with significant benefits in terms of MACCE rates. These results should be interpreted with caution considering the small size and potential for selection bias and should be confirmed in large, randomised trials.

Summary Heart failure continues to be a widely prevalent disease across the world, affecting millions of Americans annually. Acute heart failure (AHF) has a substantial effect on rising healthcare costs and is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. The search for new drugs for symptom relief and to improve long-term outcomes in heart failure has led to development of serelaxin, a recombinant human relaxin-2 hormone. Relaxin was discovered in pregnancy, but eventually found to have a number of other physiological actions, not only in pregnancy, but also in nonpregnant women and men. The actions of serelaxin are primarily via nitric oxide, leading to the observed vasodilatory effects, and increase in renal plasma flow. It has also been found to increase expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. The antifibrotic and antiinflammatory effects of the drug also play a role in heart failure. In Phase II studies, serelaxin has shown reduction in pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and NT-proBNP. The recently published results of the RELAX-AHF, a phase III clinical trial on serelaxin, has opened new avenues into our understanding of its effects in heart failure. The trial showed improvement in short-term dyspnea scores and 180-day mortality, but, interestingly, failed to show any improvement of the secondary endpoints of death or readmission at 60 days. Ongoing Phase III trials like RELAX-AHF-2 and RELAX-AHF-ASIA would explain these data better and improve understanding of the use of serelaxin in clinical practice. This article summarizes the most updated published preclinical and clinical study data on serelaxin, including pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, safety studies in hepatic, renal impaired patients, Phase II and Phase III trials.

Standard deployment technique for Sapien-3 valve involves coplanar view where all 3 aortic leaflets are seen in one plane. The left anterior oblique view is used with a degree of cranial angulation. A pigtail catheter is placed in the non-coronary sinus (NCS) to obtain an aortogram during deployment

Models of neutron stars (NSs) with hyperon cores are constructed with an effective chiral model in mean-field approximation. The hyperon couplings are fixed by reproducing their experimentally determined binding energies. The impact of these couplings on population of different particles and the equation of state (EoS) are studied in this work. The global properties of NSs like gravitational mass, radius, baryonic mass and central density are calculated using parameterized Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations (PTOV) with special emphasis on two effects of pressure - one contributing to total mass density and the other to self gravity of the star. We find that with PTOV solutions in static conditions, a softer EoS (including hyperons) can also lead to massive stellar configurations of NSs, which are in well agreement with the observed maximum mass bound of $\approx 2 M_{\odot}$ (PSR J0348-0432). Estimates of $R_{1.4}$ and $R_{1.6}$, obtained with the PTOV equations are consistent with the recent findings of the same from the data analysis of gravitational waves (GW170817) observation. Keywords: Neutron Star; Hyperons; Equation of State; parameterized Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations, 20 pages; 9 figures

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) scores are used to screen patients for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The STS scores were also used to risk stratify patients in major TAVR trials. This study evaluates the reclassification of predicted risk of mortality by the currently available online STS score calculator compared with the 2008 STS risk model in patients undergoing TAVR. Methods and Results: All patients who underwent TAVR from 2006 to 2016 were included in the study. The STS scores for all included patients were calculated by applying the 2008 STS risk model and again using the current STS online calculator. Among 1209 patients who underwent TAVR, 30-day mortality was 27 (2.2%). The overall predicted risk of mortality estimated by using the current online STS risk calculator was significantly lower than the 2008 STS risk model (6.3±4.4 vs 7.3±4.9; P P =0.03), chronic heart failure (odds ratio, 6.0; 95% CI, 3.8–10.1; P P =0.007) were more likely to be reclassified into a lower risk category per the current STS risk model. Conclusions: The current STS calculation method produces significantly lower predicted risk of mortality than the 2008 calculator, more pronounced in patients with certain comorbid conditions. These results should be considered while evaluating data from prior studies of TAVR.

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is an increasingly recognized cause of mitral stenosis (MS) [(1)][1]. This study investigated the natural history of MS in patients with various degrees of MAC. Patients with MAC of any severity were identified by searching Cleveland Clinic’s echocardiography

AIMS Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become the procedure of choice for inoperable patients and a safe alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) among moderate-risk patients. We used meta-analysis to compare the incidence of cerebrovascular events amongst patients undergoing TAVR and SAVR in randomised controlled trials (RCT). METHODS AND RESULTS Our search revealed five RCT published between 2011 and 2017 with a total of 5,414 patients. Data were summarised as Mantel-Haenszel relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The risk of major stroke (RR 0.89, 95% CI: 0.53-1.51), all strokes (RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.59-1.22) and all cerebrovascular events (RR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.75-1.17) was comparable between patients undergoing TAVR and SAVR at 30 days of follow-up. The risk of all strokes (RR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.69-1.22), major stroke (RR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.62-1.37) and all cerebrovascular events (RR 1.03, 95% CI: 0.79-1.33) was comparable between TAVR and SAVR at one year of follow-up. The incidence of major stroke (RR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.64-1.61), all strokes (RR 1.12, 95% CI: 0.78-1.62) and all cerebrovascular events (RR 1.23, 95% CI: 0.91-1.66) was comparable between TAVR and SAVR between 30 days and one year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS In our meta-analysis of RCT comparing TAVR and SAVR, we showed comparable risk of major stroke, all stroke and all cerebrovascular events.

AIMS Patients with severe secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) and normal ejection fraction are being excluded from clinical trials evaluating transcatheter mitral devices. We sought to evaluate the long-term mortality with medical management alone in this patient population. METHODS AND RESULTS We retrospectively evaluated patients diagnosed with ≥3+ MR at our institution over 15 years. Only patients with an ejection fraction ≥60% were included in the study. Those with degenerative mitral valve disease, papillary muscle dysfunction, or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and those who underwent mitral valve intervention were excluded. The study included 400 patients (age 71.1±14.8, 25.1% male, ejection fraction 62.5±3.6%). Mechanism of secondary MR was restricted valve motion, annular dilation and apical tethering in 91.5, 4.5 and 4%, respectively. One-year and three-year mortality were 19.1 and 26.3%, respectively. On multivariable Cox proportional regression analysis, older age, New York Heart Association functional Class III or IV, >3+ MR and larger left atrium were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS Severe secondary MR with normal left ventricular systolic function has significant mortality with medical management alone. This initial observation needs to be confirmed in larger prospective studies. These patients should be included in future transcatheter clinical trials.

We study the various sectors of the Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE) for a period of 8 years from April 2006 - March 2014. Using the data of daily returns of a period of eight years we make a direct model free analysis of the pattern of the sectorial indices movement and the correlations among them. Our analysis shows significant auto correlation among the individual sectors and also strong cross-correlation among sectors. We also find that auto correlations in some of the sectors persist in time. This is a very significant result and has not been reported so far in Indian context These findings will be very useful in model building for prediction of price movement of equities, derivatives and portfolio management. We show that the Random Walk Hypothesis is not applicable in modeling the Indian market and Mean-Variance-Skewness-Kurtosis based portfolio optimization might be required. We also find that almost all sectors are highly correlated during large fluctuation periods and have only moderate correlation during normal periods., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures

OBJECTIVE We aim to evaluate the efficacy of dual versus single anti-platelet therapy (SAPT) after TAVR through a systematic review and meta-analysis of published research. BACKGROUND Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and clopidogrel is a commonly practiced strategy after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, there is lack of sufficient evidence supporting this approach. METHOD We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials, and the clinical trial registry maintained at clinicaltrials.gov for randomized control trials (RCT) and observational studies comparing DAPT with SAPT post TAVR. Event rates were compared using a forest plot of relative risk with 95% confidence intervals using a random-effects model assuming inter-study heterogeneity. RESULTS A total of six studies (3 RCTs and 3 observational studies, n = 840) were included in the final analysis. Compared to SAPT, DAPT was associated with increased risk of significant bleeding (life threatening and major) [RR = 2.52 (95% CI 1.62-3.92, P

Background The impact of coronary artery disease ( CAD ) on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ) is understudied. Literature on the prognostic role of CAD in the survival of patients undergoing TAVR shows conflicting results. This meta‐analysis aims to investigate how CAD impacts patient survival following TAVR . Methods and Results We completed a comprehensive literature search of Embase, MEDLINE , and the Cochrane Library, and included studies reporting outcome of TAVR based on CAD status of patients for the analysis. From the initial 1631 citations, 15 studies reporting on 8013 patients were analyzed using a random‐effects model. Of the 8013 patients undergoing TAVR , with a median age of 81.3 years (79–85.1 years), 46.6% (40–55.7) were men and 3899 (48.7%) had CAD (ranging from 30.8% to 78.2% in various studies). Overall, 3121 SAPIEN / SAPIEN XT / SAPIEN 3 (39.6%) and 4763 CoreValve (60.4%) prostheses were implanted, with transfemoral access being the most frequently used approach for the implantation (76.1%). Our analysis showed no significant difference between patients with and without CAD for all‐cause mortality at 30 days post TAVR , with a cumulative odds ratio of 1.07 (95% confidence interval, 0.82–1.40; P= 0.62). However, there was a significant increase in all‐cause mortality at 1 year in the CAD group compared with patients without CAD , with a cumulative odds ratio of 1.21 (95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.36; P =0.002). Conclusions Even though coexisting CAD does not impact 30‐day mortality, it does have an impact on 1‐year mortality in patients undergoing TAVR . Our results highlight a need to revisit the revascularization strategies for concomitant CAD in patients with TAVR.

Since the advent of bioprosthetic valves, the implications of long-term anticoagulation after valve replacement are unclear. There are very little data on outcomes of long-term anticoagulation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Our aim was to conduct a systematic review of literature regarding anticoagulation after TAVI. The existing literature on anticoagulation after bioprosthetic valve replacement was thoroughly reviewed, including the most recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association 2017 guidelines for management of valvular disease, which is based on sparse, nonrandomized retrospective data. A systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases was conducted to retrieve articles reporting outcomes on anticoagulation after TAVI, and 5 articles were retrieved. Pooled analysis revealed lower bleeding rates in the anticoagulated group (22% vs 35%, p = 0.006). Stroke and mortality were inconsistently reported by the studies. The data regarding outcomes of patients on anticoagulation after TAVI are sparse. Systematic collection of anticoagulation data in the existing registries and future trials should be strongly considered in patients undergoing TAVI.

The effective chiral model is extended by introducing the contributions from the cross-couplings between isovector and isoscalar mesons. These cross-couplings are found to be instrumental in improving the density content of the nuclear symmetry energy. The nuclear symmetry energy as well as its slope and curvature parameters at the saturation density are in harmony with those deduced from a diverse set of experimental data. The equation of state for pure neutron matter at sub-saturation densities is also in accordance with the ones obtained from different microscopic models. The maximum mass of neutron star is consistent with the measurement and the radius at the canonical mass of the neutron star is within the empirical bounds., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, Accepted in Physical Review C as a regular article

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a safe alternative to surgery regardless of the surgical risk. The need for permanent pacemaker (PPM) remains a common complication after the procedure. We conducted a retrospective single-center study to determine the predictors of PPM and

Permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation is common after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We conducted a prospective multi-center study to determine whether the induction of Wenckebach/Mobitz type I heart block would predict the need for PPM after TAVR. We included consecutive patients

Severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) makes mitral valve replacement (MVR) challenging. We investigated the outcomes of patients with MAC and MS undergoing MVR. Database for the years 1996 through 2013 was searched for patients who had severe and non-severe MAC defined semi-quantitatively.

Residual paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with higher mortality. We investigated the value of a time-integrated aortic regurgitation index (TIARI) in assessing PVR during TAVR. We included 247 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR