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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2007.12.025 Byline: Antonia Sambola, Pilar Tornos, Ignacio Ferreira-Gonzalez, Artur Evangelista Abstract: End-systolic diameter (ESD) is an important parameter in the prognosis and indication for surgery in chronic aortic regurgitation (AR). It has been suggested that ESD values noncorrected for body surface area (BSA) could be inappropriate in the management of patients with extreme BSA. The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of indexed ESD (IESD) of the left ventricle in the management of patients with severe isolated chronic AR. Author Affiliation: Servei de Cardiologia, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain Article History: Received 9 July 2007; Accepted 26 December 2007

Copyright of Revista Española de Cardiología (18855857) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a difficult and complex disease. In recent years epidemiology and microbiology have changed. In developed countries IE is now affecting older patients and patients with no previously known valve disease. Prosthetic IE (prosthetic valve endocarditis [PVE]) and endocarditis in patients with pacemakers and other devices (cardiac device related infective endocarditis [CDRIE]) are becoming more frequent. The number of Staphylococcus aureus IE is increasing related to the number of endocarditis that occurs because of health care associated procedures, especially in diabetics or patients on chronic hemodialysis. The change in the underlying population and the increase in the number of cases caused by very virulent organism explain why the disease still carries a poor prognosis and a high mortality. The variety of clinical manifestations and complications, as well as the serious prognosis, makes it mandatory that IE patients need to be treated in experienced hospitals with a collaborative approach between different specialists, involving cardiologists, infectious disease specialists, microbiologists, surgeons, and frequently others, including neurologists and radiologists. Only an early diagnosis followed by risk stratification and a prompt institution of the correct antibiotic treatment as well as an appropriate and timed surgical indication may improve mortality figures. The recent European Guidelines try to provide clear and simple recommendations, obtained by expert consensus after thorough review of the available literature to all specialists involved in clinical decision-making of this difficult and changing disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Revista Española de Cardiología (18855857) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The prognosis of infective endocarditis is poor and has remained steady over the last 4 decades. Several nonrandomized studies suggest that early surgery could improve prognosis. Methods: ENDOVAL 1 is a multicenter, prospective, randomized study designed to compare the state-of-the-art therapeutic strategy (advised by the international societies in their guidelines) with the early-surgery strategy in high-risk patients with infective endocarditis. Patients with infective endocarditis without indication for surgery will be included if they meet at least one of the following: (1) early-onset prosthetic endocarditis; (2) Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis; (3) periannular complications; (4) new-onset conduction abnormalities; (5) new-onset severe valvular dysfunction. A total of 216 patients will be randomized to either of the 2 strategies. Stratification will be done within 3 days of admission. In the early surgery arm, the surgical procedure will be performed within 48 hours of randomization. The only event to be considered will be death within 30 days. The study will be extended to 1 year. In the follow-up substudy, death and a new episode of endocarditis will be regarded as events. Conclusion: ENDOVAL 1, the first randomized study on endocarditis, will provide crucial information regarding the putative benefit of early surgery over the state-of-the-art therapeutic approach in high-risk patients with infective endocarditis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Embolic events to the central nervous system are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The appropriate role of valvular surgery in reducing such embolic events is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the initiation of antimicrobial therapy and the temporal incidence of stroke in patients with IE and to determine if this time course differs from that shown for embolic events in previous studies. Methods: Prospective incidence cohort study involving 61 tertiary referral centers in 28 countries. Case report forms were analyzed from 1437 consecutive patients with left-sided endocarditis admitted directly to participating centers. Results: The crude incidence of stroke in patients receiving appropriate antimicrobial therapy was 4.82/1000 patient days in the first week of therapy and fell to 1.71/1000 patient days in the second week. This rate continued to decline with further therapy. Stroke rates fell similarly regardless of the valve or organism involved. After 1 week of antimicrobial therapy, only 3.1% of the cohort experienced a stroke. Conclusions: The risk of stroke in IE falls dramatically after the initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy. The falling risk of stroke in patients with IE as a whole precludes stroke prevention as the sole indication for valvular surgery after 1 week of therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Euro Heart Survey on valvular heart disease included 5001 patients from 92 centers in 25 European countries in 2001: 71.9% had native valve disease and 28.1% had previously undergone valve surgery. Aortic stenosis (AS) and mitral regurgitation (MR) accounted for 43.1 and 33.6%, respectively, of single-valve diseases and were mostly caused by degenerative diseases. Mean age was 69 and 65 years, respectively, and at least one comorbidity was present in 36.3% of patients with AS and 41.7% with MR. Analysis of the therapeutic decision in patients with severe valve diseases showed that symptomatic patients were frequently denied surgery (32.3% in AS after the age of 75 and 51.3% in MR), more on the basis of age and left ventricular function than comorbidities. There was a better concordance between practice and guidelines concerning interventions in asymptomatic patients. These findings underline the need for better implementation of guidelines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Intervention is advised in selected asymptomatic patients with aortic valve disease. However, little is known regarding their actual management. Methods: The Euro Heart Survey was designed to evaluate practices. Severe isolated aortic stenosis (AS) was defined by a valve area ≤0.6 cm2/m2 body surface area or mean gradient ≥50 mm Hg. Severe aortic regurgitation (AR) was defined by a grade ≥3/4. Patients were classified as asymptomatic when they were in New York Heart Association class I and were without angina. Decision to operate was analyzed by comparing patient characteristics with the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association recommendations. Results: Of the 5001 patients, 136 had severe, isolated, and asymptomatic aortic valve disease (84 with AS and 52 with AR). Stress testing was performed in only 6 patients (4%). A decision to operate was taken in 45 patients (54%) with AS and 21 (40%) with AR. Indications for surgery were in accordance with the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines in 57 patients (68%) with AS and in 41 (83%) with AR. However, the decision to operate was frequently based on class IIb recommendations in patients with AS. Intervention was “overused” in 18 patients with AS (21%) and in 5 (9%) with AR. Intervention was “underused” in 9 patients (11%) with AS and in 4 (8%) with AR. Conclusions: In asymptomatic patients with severe aortic valve disease, a decision to operate is frequently taken; and it is most often in agreement with guidelines, although often based on low-level recommendations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Revista Española de Cardiología (18855857) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative outcome in two groups of patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation (AR): those operated on early and those operated on late according to the guidelines. Background: The impact of earlier surgery for chronic severe AR as defined in guidelines has not been evaluated. Methods: A total of 170 patients with chronic severe AR submitted to aortic valve replacement were prospectively followed up. Patients were divided in two groups depending on the clinical situation at the time of surgery. Group A were 60 patients who were operated on following guidelines advice of earlier surgery, and group B were 110 patients who were operated on late with regard to guideline recommendations. Results: Follow-up was 10 ± 6 years (1 to 22 years). During follow-up 44 patients died, 7 patients (12%) from group A and 37 (37%) from group B (p = 0.001). The cause of death was non-cardiac in 11 patients, 2 (3%) in group A and 9 (8%) in group B. Cardiac deaths occurred in 33 patients, 5 (9%) from group A and 28 (28%) from group B (p = 0.002). Causes of death differed between groups A and B: heart failure or sudden death were significantly more frequent in group B (20 patients vs. 1 patient, p = 0.001). Overall survival in groups A and B was 90 ± 4% vs. 75 ± 8% at 5 years, 86 ± 5% vs. 64 ± 5% at 10 years, and 78 ± 7% vs. 53 ± 6% at 15 years, respectively (p = 0.009). Conclusions: Early operation as defined in the guidelines improves long-term survival in patients with chronic AR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims To assess the effectiveness of different treatment strategies in patients with non-obstructive prosthetic valve thrombosis (NOPVT) during hospitalization and long-term follow-up. Methods NOPVT was diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography. Resolution was defined as the disappearance or reduction of the thrombus under anticoagulation. All cases were first managed with optimization of anticoagulation. At discharge, patients received oral anticoagulation (OAC) alone or OAC and antiplatelet therapy (double treatment). Adverse events were defined as cardiovascular death, recurrence, thromboembolic events or major bleeding. Results From 1997 to 2012, 47 patients (mean age: 65 years; women: 60%) were diagnosed with NOPVT (mitral valve: 97%). Previous poor anticoagulation control was documented in 66% of patients. Twenty-one patients (45%) were treated with unfractionated heparin (UFH), especially those with thrombus size > 10 mm (19/21). Optimization of OAC was performed in the remaining patients. Treatment failed in 13 (27.6%) patients, mostly in those who received UFH (10/13), requiring surgery (53.8%) or fibrinolysis (30.7%). Forty-two patients survived and, at discharge, 44% of patients received OAC alone and 56% the double treatment. At follow-up (median 23 months; range 0.03–116 months), 59.5% of patients presented cardiovascular events, however no differences in outcome were observed with double treatment or OAC alone (p = 0.385). Conclusions NOPVT is a high-risk complication, not only during hospitalization but also during follow-up. Optimization of anticoagulation is efficient in most patients except in thrombi ≥ 10 mm treated with UFH. The double treatment does not prevent adverse events or complications during follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate cost-effectiveness of transfemoral TAVR vs surgical replacement (SAVR) and its determinants in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and comparable risk. Methods Patients were prospectively recruited in 6 Spanish hospitals and followed up over one year. We estimated adjusted incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) (Euros per quality-adjusted life-year [QALY] gained) using a net-benefit approach and assessed the determinants of incremental net-benefit of TAVR vs SAVR. Results We analyzed data on 207 patients: 58, 87 and 62 in the Edwards SAPIEN (ES) TAVR, Medtronic-CoreValve (MC) TAVR and SAVR groups respectively. Average cost per patient of ES-TAVR was ∊8800 higher than SAVR and the gain in QALY was 0.036. The ICER was ∊148,525/QALY. The cost of MC-TAVR was ∊9729 higher than SAVR and the QALY difference was - 0.011 (dominated). Results substantially changed in the following conditions: 1) in patients with high preoperative serum creatinine the ICERs were ∊18,302/QALY and ∊179,618/QALY for ES and MC-TAVR respectively; 2) a 30% reduction in the cost of TAVR devices decreased the ICER for ES-TAVR to ∊32,955/QALY; and 3) imputing hospitalization costs from other European countries leads to TAVR being dominant. Conclusions In countries with relatively low health care costs TAVR is not likely to be cost-effective compared to SAVR in patients with intermediate risk for surgery, mainly because of the high cost of the valve compared to the cost of hospitalization. TAVR could be cost-effective in specific subgroups and in countries with higher hospitalization costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess whether the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of infective endocarditis differ in women and men through a prospective observational cohort study at a single tertiary care teaching hospital. From January 2000 to December 2008, 271 new cases of infective endocarditis were diagnosed (183 in men, 88 in women) according to modified Duke criteria, and patients were followed for 1 year. Women were older than men (mean age 63 ± 16 vs 58 ± 18 years, p = 0.006); more women were taking immunosuppressants (14% vs 3%, p = 0.006) and had mitral valve involvement (52% vs 36%, p = 0.02). However, more men had human immunodeficiency virus infection than women. There were no gender differences in Charlson index, regurgitation severity, culprit pathogens, or major complications. When surgery was indicated, women were less likely to undergo the procedure (26% vs 47%, relative risk [RR] 0.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2 to 0.7), p = 0.001). Mortality tended to be higher in women in the hospital (32% vs 23%, RR 1.58, 95% CI 1 to 2.5, p = 0.05) and at 1 year (38% vs 26%, RR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9, p = 0.04). Surgical treatment was a protective factor against death in the hospital (RR 0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.77, p = 0.02) and at 1 year (RR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.48, p = 0.03) after adjustment for age, gender, Charlson index, infection by Staphylococcus aureus, severity at presentation, heart failure, acute renal failure, stroke, and the ejection fraction. In conclusion, women with infective endocarditis were slightly older than men but showed similar co-morbidities. Women underwent surgery less frequently and consequently had worse prognosis than men. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]