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Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a gaseous molecule and originates endogenously in plants. It is considered a potential signalling agent in various physiological processes of plants. Numerous reports have examined the role of H2S in fruit ripening and in enhancing fruit quality traits. H2S coordinates the fruit antioxidant system, fruit ripening phytohormones, such as ethylene and abscisic acid, together with other ripening‐related signalling molecules, including nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide. Although many studies have increased understanding of various aspects of this complex network, there is a gap in understanding crosstalk of H2S with key players of fruit ripening, postharvest senescence and fruit metabolism. This review focused on deciphering fruit H2S metabolism, signalling and its interaction with other ripening‐related signalling molecules during fruit ripening and postharvest storage. Moreover, we also discuss how H2S can be used as a tool for improving fruit quality and productivity and reducing postharvest loss of perishable fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coexistence of cancer and heart disease, both prominent causes of illness and death, is further exacerbated by the detrimental impact of chemotherapy. Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is an unfortunate side effect of highly effective therapy in treating different types of cancer; it presents a significant challenge for both clinicians and patients due to the considerable risk of cardiotoxicity. Despite significant progress in understanding these mechanisms, challenges persist in identifying effective preventive and therapeutic strategies, rendering it a subject of continued research even after three decades of intensive global investigation. The molecular targets and signaling pathways explored provide insights for developing targeted therapies, emphasizing the need for continued research to bridge the gap between preclinical understanding and clinical applications. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the intricate mechanisms underlying anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity, elucidating the interplay of various signaling pathways leading to adverse cellular events, including cardiotoxicity and death. It highlights the extensive involvement of pathways associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and cellular stress responses, offering insights into potential and unexplored targets for therapeutic intervention in mitigating anthracycline-induced cardiac complications. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between anthracyclines and these complexes signaling pathways is crucial for developing strategies to prevent or mitigate the associated cardiotoxicity. Further research is needed to outline the specific contributions of these pathways and identify potential therapeutic targets to improve the safety and efficacy of anthracycline-based cancer treatment. Ultimately, advancements in understanding anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity mechanisms will facilitate the development of more efficacious preventive and treatment approaches, thereby improving outcomes for cancer patients undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become the dominant treatment for aortic valve disease. While TAVR safety has improved over time, concern remains over the occurrence of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) secondary to device placement, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The Sentinel Cerebral Protection System (CPS) was developed to reduce the risk of embolic strokes associated with debris produced during TAVR. Studies evaluating Sentinel CPS efficacy have produced conflicting results, and there is little understanding of which patients are selected for device placement in "real-world" settings. With no existing guidelines on device use, the purpose of this study was to describe and compare the characteristics of patients who receive CPS with those who do not in a "real-world" setting of consecutive TAVR patients and evaluate its impact on postoperative complications, namely stroke., Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective study of all patients undergoing TAVR between July 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Patient demographics, baseline, and perioperative characteristics were collected prospectively using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) Registry and our institution's TAVR database for analysis. Postoperative outcomes were assessed using primary endpoints of in-hospital/30-day stroke and the composite of death, stroke, and bleeding/vascular events at one-year. To adjust for baseline differences, a propensity score was developed including all factors that were different between groups, and Multivariate Cox Regression analysis was used to control for these differences. Patient follow-up was 97% complete at 12 months with 100% echocardiographic follow-up., Results: A total of 242 consecutive patients (57.9% male) were analyzed, with a mean age of 79.9 ± 9 years. Of these patients, 134 (55.4%) received the Sentinel CPS and 108 (44.6%) did not. Sentinel CPS patients were more likely to be male, not on dialysis, without prior CVA or pacemaker, had less severe chronic lung disease, and were lower operative risk compared to concurrent non-CPS patients. CPS patients were also found to have higher hemoglobin and albumin levels, lower creatinine, and were less likely to be on immunosuppressant therapy. The incidence of in-hospital/30-day stroke after TAVR did not differ between CPS and non-CPS patients (0.0% vs. 1.9%; p = 0.198). Unadjusted analyses at one-year showed a lower occurrence of the composite endpoint in CPS patients compared non-CPS patients (8.3% vs. 17.0%; p = 0.034). After adjustment, the hazard ratio (Adj HR) for the CPS group was no longer significantly associated with a lower composite endpoint (Adj HR = 0.609, 95% CI 0.244-1.523; p = 0.289). Both unadjusted ( p = 0.233) and adjusted ( p = 0.132) analyses showed no difference in the incidence of stroke at one-year., Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that in a "real-world" setting, the Sentinel CPS device is more likely to be used in healthier and less complex patients. In analyses adjusted for illness severity and patient complexity, CPS use did not have a significant effect on the incidence of in-hospital/30-day stroke or the composite endpoint of death, stroke, and bleeding/vascular events at one-year., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Balancing the therapeutic advantages of a medicine with its possible risks and side effects is an important part of medical practice and drug regulation. When a drug is designed to treat a particular disease or medical condition ends up causing additional risks or side effects that lead to the development of other serious health problems, it can have detrimental consequences for patients. This article explores the correlation between persistent proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and hypertension, a common cardiovascular ailment. While PPIs are beneficial in treating various gastrointestinal problems, their availability without a prescription has resulted in self-medication and long-term use without medical monitoring. Recent findings have revealed a link between long-term PPI usage and increased cardiovascular risks, particularly hypertension. This study investigates the intricate mechanisms underlying PPI's effects, focusing on potential pathways contributing to hypertension, such as endothelial dysfunction, disruption of nitric oxide bioavailability, vitamin B deficiency, hypocalcemia, and hypomagnesemia. The discussion explains how long-term PPI use can disrupt normal endothelial function, vascular control, and mineral balance, eventually leading to hypertension. The article emphasizes the significance of using PPIs with caution and ongoing research to better understand the implications of these medications on cardiovascular health.

Purpose: Recent guidelines provide broader support for the use of less invasive imaging modalities for the evaluation of patients with stable chest pain. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) uses increasingly sophisticated techniques to improve evaluation of coronary lesions. The purpose of this study is to describe one center's experience implementing AI-assisted advanced imaging techniques to diagnose coronary artery disease., Materials & Methods: Retrospective study of patients who had AI-assisted CCTA interpretation, including a subgroup who underwent fractional flow reserve CT (FFR-CT) and invasive coronary angiography. Descriptive statistics summarized baseline characteristics and univariate statistics compared findings between groups of patients with and without anatomically and hemodynamically significant lesions based on FFR-CT. For patients who underwent invasive coronary angiography, concordance between CCTA and angiography was evaluated., Results: Of 532 included patients, AI-assisted CCTA identified statistically significant difference in calcification scores, plaque types and total plaque volume between lesions <50% and ≥50% stenosis. CCTA results were mostly concordant with invasive coronary angiography. Importantly, we identified a subset of patients with less than 50% anatomical stenosis that demonstrated physiologically significant stenosis on FFR-CT and invasive coronary angiography., Conclusions: AI-assisted CCTA and other advanced techniques are a tool to support high quality diagnostic assessment of coronary lesions in a clinical environment. Combined CCTA with FFRCT in mild to moderate coronary stenosis identifies patients with hemodynamically significant stenosis even when quantitative stenosis is <50%. Implementation of AI-assisted coronary CT angiography is feasible in a community hospital setting, but these technologies do not replace the need for expert review and clinical correlation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Purpose of Review: An imbalance in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis can wreak damage to metabolic and physiological processes which can eventually lead to an advancement in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered as a key source of ROS. The purpose of the current review is to concisely discuss the role of bioactive compounds in the modulation of cardiovascular metabolism and their potential application in the management of cardiovascular diseases., Recent Findings: Recently, it has been shown that bioactive compounds exhibit immunomodulatory function by regulating inflammatory pathways and ROS homeostasis. It has also been reported that bioactive compounds regulate mitochondria dynamics, thus modulating the autophagy and energy metabolism in the cells. In the present article, we have discussed the roles of different bioactive compounds in the modulation of different inflammatory drivers. The functional properties of bioactive compounds in mitochondrial dynamics and its impact on cardiac disease protection have been briefly summarized. Furthermore, we have also discussed various aspects of bioactive compounds with respect to metabolism, immune modulation, circadian rhythm, and its impact on CVD's pathophysiology., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Aims: We analyzed the impact of frailty on readmission rates for ST-elevated myocardial infarctions (STEMIs) and the utilization of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in STEMI admissions., Methods and Results: The 2016-2019 Nationwide Readmission Database was analyzed for patients admitted with an acute STEMI. Patients were categorized by frailty risk and analyzed for 30-day readmission risk after acute STEMIs, PCI utilization and outcomes, and healthcare resource utilization. Qualifying index admissions were found in 584,918 visits. Low risk frailty was noted in 78.20%, intermediate risk in 20.67%, and high risk in 1.14% of admissions. Thirty-day readmissions occurred in 7.74% of index admissions, increasing with frailty (p < 0.001). Readmission risk increased with frailty, 1.37 times with intermediate and 1.21 times with high-risk frailty. PCI was performed in 86.40% of low-risk, 66.03% of intermediate-risk, and 58.90% of high-risk patients (p < 0.001). Intermediate patients were 55.02% less likely and high-risk patients were 61.26% less likely to undergo PCI (p < 0.001). Length of stay means for index admissions were 2.96, 7.83, and 16.32 days for low, intermediate, and high-risk groups. Intermediate and high-risk frailty had longer length of stay, higher total cost, and were more likely to be discharged to a skilled facility (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Among adult, all-payer inpatient visits, frailty discerned by the hospital frailty risk score was associated with increased readmissions, increased healthcare resource utilization, and lower PCI administration., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Over the past decade, percutaneous left ventricular assist devices (pLVAD), such as the Impella microaxial flow pump (Abiomed), have been increasingly used to provide haemodynamic support during complex and high-risk revascularisation procedures to reduce the risk of intraprocedural haemodynamic compromise and to facilitate complete and optimal revascularisation. A global consensus on patient selection for the use of pLVADs, however, is currently lacking. Access to these devices is different across the world, thus, individual health care environments need to create and refine patient selection paradigms to optimise the use of these devices. The Impella pLVAD has recently been introduced in India and is being used in several centres in the management of high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and cardiogenic shock. With this increasing utilisation, there is a need for a standardised evaluation protocol to guide Impella use that factors in the unique economic and infrastructural characteristics of India's health care system to ensure that the needs of patients are optimally managed. In this consensus document, we present an algorithm to guide Impella use in Indian patients: to establish a standardised patient selection and usage paradigm that will allow both optimal patient outcomes and ongoing data collection., Competing Interests: R. Tayal received honoraria from Abiomed, Abbott, Shockwave Medical, and Edwards Lifesciences. S. Kalrareceived support and consulting fees from Abiomed, and Translumina Therapeutics; consulting fees from Abiomed, Cardiovascular Systems, Philips Healthcare, and Boston Scientific; support for attending meetings and/or travel from Abiomed, and Boston Scientific. He also held a leadership or fiduciary role in other board, society, committee oradvocacy groups, paid or unpaid from Abiomed, and Boston Scientific. A. Seth is an Advisory Board Member of Abbott Vascular and SIS Medical; and received consulting fees from Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and Meril Lifesciences.The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Large bore access procedures rely on vascular closure devices to minimize access site complications. Suture-based vascular closure devices (S-VCD) such as ProGlide and ProStar XL have been readily used, but recently, newer generation collagen-based vascular closure devices (C-VCD) such as MANTA have been introduced. Data on comparisons of these devices are limited., Methods: PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane were searched for articles on vascular closure devices using keywords, ("Vascular closure devices" OR "MANTA" OR "ProStar XL" OR "ProGlide") AND ("outcomes") that resulted in a total of 875 studies. Studies were included if bleeding or vascular complications as defined by Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 were compared between the two types of VCDs. The event level data were pooled across trials to calculate the Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% CI, and analysis was done with Review Manager 5.4 using random effects model., Results: Pooled analyses from these nine studies resulted in a total of 3410 patients, out of which 2855 were available for analysis. A total of 1229 received C-VCD and 1626 received S- VCD. Among the patients who received C-VCD, the bleeding complications (major and minor) were similar to patients who received S-VCD ((OR: 0.70 (0.35-1.39), p = 0.31, I 2 = 55%), OR: 0.92 (0.53-1.61), p = 0.77, I 2 = 65%)). The vascular complications (major and minor) in patients who received C-VCD were also similar to patients who received S-VCD ((OR: 1.01 (0.48-2.12), p = 0.98, I 2 = 52%), (OR: 0.90 (0.62-1.30), p = 0.56, I 2 = 35%))., Conclusions: Bleeding and vascular complications after large bore arteriotomy closure with collagen-based vascular closure devices are similar to suture-based vascular closure devices.

Introduction: The last decade has witnessed major evolution and shifts in the use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis (AS). Included among the shifts has been the advent of alternative access sites for TAVR. Consequently, transapical access (TA) has become significantly less common. This study analyzes in detail the trend of TA access for TAVR over the course of 7 years., Methods: The national inpatient sample database was reviewed from 2011-2017 and patients with AS were identified by using validated ICD 9-CM and ICD 10-CM codes. Patients who underwent TAVR through TA access were classified as TA-TAVR, and any procedure other than TA access was classified as non-TA-TAVR. We compared the yearly trends of TA-TAVR to those of non-TA-TAVR as the primary outcome., Results: A total of 3,693,231 patients were identified with a diagnosis of AS. 129,821 patients underwent TAVR, of which 10,158 (7.8%) underwent TA-TAVR and 119,663 (92.2%) underwent non-TA-TAVR. After peaking in 2013 at 27.7%, the volume of TA-TAVR declined to 1.92% in 2017 ( p < 0.0001). Non-TA-TAVR started in 2013 at 72.2% and consistently increased to 98.1% in 2017. In-patient mortality decreased from a peak of 5.53% in 2014 to 3.18 in 2017 ( p =0.6) in the TA-TAVR group and from a peak of 4.51% in 2013 to 1.24% in 2017 ( p =0.0001) in the non-TA-TAVR group., Conclusion: This study highlights a steady decline in TA access for TAVR, higher inpatient mortality, increased length of stay, and higher costs compared to non-TA-TAVR., Competing Interests: RT reports speaker fee from Abbott and Medtronic and speaker and proctor fee from Edwards Lifesciences. RT was also on the advisory panel of Edwards Lifesciences in 2020. GKV reports consulting fee from Edwards LifeSciences. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest pertaining to this article., (Copyright © 2022 Sumit Sohal et al.)

Background: Optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration in patients at high bleeding risk (HBR) is not fully defined. We aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of short-term DAPT (S-DAPT) with longer duration DAPT (L-DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug eluting stents (DES) in patients at HBR., Methods: We searched for studies comparing S-DAPT (≤3 months) followed by aspirin or P2Y 12 inhibitor monotherapy against L-DAPT (6-12 months) after PCI in HBR patients. Primary end points of interest were major bleeding and myocardial infarction (MI). Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios with 95% CIs., Results: Six randomized trials and 3 propensity-matched studies (n = 16,848) were included in the primary analysis. Compared with L-DAPT (n = 8,422), major bleeding was lower with S-DAPT (n = 8,426) [OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.51-0.89] whereas MI did not differ significantly between the 2 groups [1.16; 0.94-1.44]. There were no significant differences in risks of death, stroke or stent thrombosis (ST) between S-DAPT and L-DAPT groups. These findings were consistent when propensity-matched studies were analysed separately. Finally, there was a numerically higher, albeit statistically non-significant, ST in the S-DAPT arm of patients without an indication for OAC [1.98; 0.86-4.58]., Conclusions: Among HBR patients undergoing current generation DES implantation, S-DAPT reduces bleeding without an increased risk of death or MI compared with L-DAPT. More research is needed to (1) evaluate risks of late ST after 1 to 3 months DAPT among patients with high ischemic and bleeding risks, (2) defining the SAPT of choice after 1 to 3 months DAPT., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) is a gaseous molecule and originates endogenously in plants. It is considered a potential signalling agent in various physiological processes of plants. Numerous reports have examined the role of H 2 S in fruit ripening and in enhancing fruit quality traits. H 2 S coordinates the fruit antioxidant system, fruit ripening phytohormones, such as ethylene and abscisic acid, together with other ripening-related signalling molecules, including nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide. Although many studies have increased understanding of various aspects of this complex network, there is a gap in understanding crosstalk of H 2 S with key players of fruit ripening, postharvest senescence and fruit metabolism. This review focused on deciphering fruit H 2 S metabolism, signalling and its interaction with other ripening-related signalling molecules during fruit ripening and postharvest storage. Moreover, we also discuss how H 2 S can be used as a tool for improving fruit quality and productivity and reducing postharvest loss of perishable fruits., (© 2021 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.)

Background: To derive and validate a risk score that accurately predicts 1-year mortality after heart transplantation (HT) in patients bridged to transplant (BTT) with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD)., Methods: The UNOS database was queried to identify patients BTT with an LVAD between 2008 and 2018. Patients with ⩾1-year follow up were randomly divided into derivation (70%) and validation (30%) cohorts. The primary endpoint was 1-year mortality. A simple additive risk score was developed based on the odds of 1-year mortality after HT. Risk groups were created, and survival was estimated and compared., Results: A total of 7759 patients were randomly assigned to derivation ( n  = 5431) and validation ( n  = 2328) cohorts. One-year post-transplant mortality was 9.8% ( n  = 760). A 33-point scoring was created from six recipient variables and two donor variables. Risk groups were classified as low (0-5), intermediate (6-10), and high (>10). In the validation cohort, the predicted 1-year mortality was significantly higher in the high-risk group than the intermediate and low-risk groups, 14.7% versus 9% versus 6.1% respectively (log-rank test: p  < 0.0001)., Conclusion: The BTT-LVAD Score can serve as a clinical decision tool to guide therapeutic decisions in advanced heart failure patients.

Background: As transaxillary (TAx) access has become the most common alternative to transfemoral (TF) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), there is increasing use of a percutaneous approach., Aims: This study sought to determine whether there are differences in outcomes using a percutaneous access versus cutdown for TAx TAVR., Methods: Using data from the STS/ACC TVT Registry, consecutive patients undergoing TAx TAVR with balloon-expandable valves between July 2015 and December 2020 were included. Propensity score-based matching was performed to evaluate the association between method of TAx access and outcomes., Results: Of 4,219 patients, 1,140 (27.0%) underwent percutaneous access and 3,079 (73.0%) had surgical cutdown for TAx TAVR, with the proportion of percutaneous cases increasing over time. After propensity matching, there were no significant baseline differences between patients undergoing TAx access by either approach. At 30 days, there were similar rates of all-cause mortality (4.8% in percutaneous patients vs 4.1% in surgical patients; p=0.40) and stroke (7.7% vs 6.5%; p=0.25). Those undergoing percutaneous TAx access were more likely to receive conscious sedation and have less need for the intensive care unit (ICU). Percutaneous access was associated with a higher rate of major vascular complication (3.0% vs 1.5% in surgical patients; p=0.02) but not life-threatening bleeding (0.3% vs 0.1%; p=0.31)., Conclusions: This study supports the safety and efficacy of percutaneous TAx TAVR compared to traditional surgical cutdown. Percutaneous access was associated with a shorter ICU stay and a higher rate of major vascular complication without an increase in life-threatening bleeding.

Axillary artery access has become increasingly widespread as an alternative to the femoral route for large-bore transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) procedures. Advantages of percutaneous access include avoidance of a surgical incision, general anesthesia, and conduit graft infection. This statement aims to review the anatomic considerations and risks for percutaneous axillary artery access, suggest best practices for access techniques, hemostasis/closure strategies, and complication management, and recommend options for training and privileging., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a new technique for treatment of severely calcified lesions that uses acoustic shockwaves in a balloon-based system to induce fracture in calcific plaque, facilitating luminal gain and vessel expansion. In this review, we provide a concise summary of the available data and clinical experience of IVL in various peripheral vascular beds, including facilitating vascular access for large-bore devices. We discuss the physics and mode of action of IVL in modifying calcified plaques, include several illustrative examples of utility of IVL in peripheral interventions, and discuss the future directions for adoption of the technique in peripheral interventions., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of the Amplatzer Septal Occluder in the closure of secundum type atrial septal defects., Background: The Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO; Abbott, St. Paul, MN) is an FDA-approved device for percutaneous closure of secundum type atrial septal defects (ASD). Previous small cohort trials have shown a favorable safety and technical efficacy profile., Methods: We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis of all prospective case series and controlled trials that evaluated the ASO's safety and implant efficacy. The primary endpoint was the technical success rate of implantations. Secondary outcomes included proportions of arrhythmias and embolism specific-adverse events., Results: We included a total of 12 studies with 2972 patients. The ratio of device implantation was 2:1 by sex [female: male]. Pooled technical success rate of implantation was 98% (95% CI: 0.968-0.990, P < 0.01). The cumulative adverse event rate was 5.1% (95% CI: 0.035-0.068, P < 0.01), which included arrhythmia and embolism specific adverse event rates of 1.8% (95% CI: 0.007-0.032, P < 0.01) and 0.7% (95% CI: 0.002-0.013, P < 0.01), respectively. Sensitivity analysis did not significantly affect pooled outcomes for success rate and adverse events; both forest plot and Begg's and Egger's regression tests supported symmetricity., Conclusion: A high likelihood of technical success can be expected when implanting the ASO in secundum type ASDs. Adverse event rates are expected for one in twenty patients, and thus, our results support the safe use of ASO in secundum type ASDs closure., Condensed Abstract: The AMPLATZER Septal Occluder is an FDA-approved device for percutaneous closure of secundum type atrial septal defects (ASD). We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis of all prospective case series and controlled trials that evaluated the ASO's safety and implant efficacy. We included a total of 12 studies with 2972 patients. Pooled technical success rate of implantation was 98% (P < 0.01). The cumulative adverse event rate was 5.1% (P < 0.01), 1.8% (P < 0.01) rate of arrhythmias, and 0.7% (P < 0.01) rate of embolisms. A high likelihood of technical success can be expected with a low rate of adverse events., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflicts of interest regarding the content herein., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The study investigates the incidence of change in renal function and its impact on survival in renal dysfunction patients who were bridged to heart transplantation with a left ventricular assist device (BTT-LVAD). BTT-LVAD patients with greater than or equal to moderately reduced renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≤ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2) at the time of listing between 2008 and 2018 were identified from a prospectively maintained database of the United Network for Organ Sharing. Patients with a baseline eGFR less than or equal to 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 or on dialysis were excluded. Patients were divided into three groups based on percent change ([Pretransplant eGFR - listing eGFR/listing glomerular filtration rate (GFR)] × 100) in eGFR: Improvement greater than or equal to 10%, no change, decline greater than or equal to 10%, and their operative outcomes were compared. Posttransplant survival was estimated and compared among the three groups with the Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to identify predictors of posttransplant survival. Out of 14,395 LVAD patients, 1,622 (11%) met the inclusion criteria. At the time of transplant, 900 (55%) had reported an improvement in eGFR greater than or equal to 10%, 436 (27%) had no change, and 286 (18%) experienced a decline greater than or equal to 10%. Postoperatively, the incidence of dialysis was higher in the decline than in the unchanged or improved groups (22% vs. 12% vs. 12%; p = 0.002). After a median follow-up of 5 years, there was no difference in posttransplant survival among the stratified groups (improved eGFR: 24.8%, unchanged eGFR: 23.2%, declined eGFR: 20.3%; p = 0.680). On Cox proportional hazard modeling, independent predictors of worse survival were: [hazard ratio: 95% CI; p] history of diabetes (1.43 [1.13-1.81]; p = 0.002) or tobacco use (1.40 [1.11-1.79]; p = 0.005) and ischemic time greater than 4 hours (1.36 [1.03-1.76]; p = 0.027). More than half of the patients with compromised renal function who undergo BTT-LVAD demonstrate an improvement in renal function at the time of transplant. A 10% change in GFR while listed was not associated with worse posttransplant survival., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © ASAIO 2021.)

Introduction: Primary cardiac tumors (PCT) are rare, and their contemporary outcomes are not well characterized in the literature. We assessed temporal trends in patient characteristics and management of admissions for PCT in US hospitals., Methods: Admissions with the principal diagnoses of a PCT (benign neoplasm of heart: ICD-9 212.7, ICD-10 D15.1; malignant neoplasm of heart: ICD-9 164.1, ICD-10 C38.0) between 2006 and 2017 were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample. Trends in demographics and clinical profiles were evaluated. We conducted descriptive analyses on the cohort and compared outcomes between those managed medically and surgically., Results: Between 2006 and 2017, 19,111 admissions had the primary diagnosis of a PCT. Of these, 91.1% were benign. Admissions were mostly female (65.0%), caucasian (72.0%), and aged more than 50 years (76.0%). The annual admission rate for PCT was similar from 2006 to 2017 (p trend > .05) and associated with congestive heart failure, diabetes, renal failure, and valvular lesions. PCTs were managed surgically in 12,811 (67.0%) of overall cases, 70.8% for benign and 28.3% for malignant tumors. Overall, the in-hospital mortality rate was 2.3%. Medically managed cases reported a 2.5% higher mortality (p < .001) than those surgically managed. Admissions with malignant tumors were more likely to expire during hospitalization than those with benign tumors (odds ratio, 9.75; 95% confidence interval 6.34-14.99; p < .001)., Conclusion: Admissions for primary cardiac tumors were primarily women or in their fifth or sixth decade of life. Surgical intervention is more commonly practiced and is associated with better in-hospital survival., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: The current study aims to report trends of early discharges and identify associated direct costs using a nationally representative database of real-world data experience., Methods: We used nationally weighted data on all patients who had transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) from 2012 to 2017 and discharged alive from the National Inpatient Sample. Patients were divided into early (discharge ≤3 days of admission) and late discharge. Demographics and clinical characteristics were compared. Trends in early discharge and costs associated with admissions were analyzed over the study period., Results: Of the 125,188 patients identified, 59,424 (46.9%) were discharged early. The proportion of early discharge increased from 15% in early 2012 to 68% in late 2017 ( P < 0.001), with the largest increase occurring from 2014 to 2015. Overall, the average cost of TAVR decreased from $58,408 in 2012 to $49,875 in 2017 ( P < 0.001). Compared to late discharge, patients discharged early reported costs savings of ≥$20,000 over the study period. Among the early discharge group, no significant differences in costs were observed for patients discharged on 0 to 1, 2, or 3 days after the procedure., Conclusions: Postoperative length of stay after TAVR has decreased dramatically within the last decade with an observed reduction in procedural costs. While discharge within 3 days appeared cost effective, no differences in costs were noted among patients discharged ≤3 days.

The use of large-bore sheaths has risen exponentially in the last decade partly due to the growth of structural heart interventions and various mechanical circulatory support options. Meanwhile, the interventional community has gradually shifted from an open surgical to endovascular closure. However, vascular access complications and bleeding still remain a significant risk. Various techniques involving an additional access site have been described to allow for endovascular bailout of potential complications. However, these by themselves create an additional burden to procedural morbidity. Furthermore, the weight of additional procedural time, contrast, radiation and the need for advanced peripheral endovascular skills constitute considerable downsides to the "second arterial access" strategy. For that reason, we propose an alternative strategy, the "single-access dry-closure" technique, which provides vascular access control without the additional burden and risk of a second arterial access. This involves the use of low-pressure iliac artery occlusive angioplasty, delivered through the ipsilateral sheath during the endovascular closure. We hereby describe the steps, advantages and disadvantages of this novel technique. We also include the description of multiple technical variations depending on the use of one or two preclosed Proglide devices. This novel approach seems to be a safe, effective, simple, fast and economical technique that has the potential to decrease procedural morbidity by avoiding an additional arterial access. It also lowers contrast volume and radiation exposure while improving the overall set-up and operator ergonomics.

Transfemoral (TF) access for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is the most commonly used site, however its use may be limited by prohibitive peripheral arterial disease. Although a number of alternative access techniques have been well described, each has been shown to be associated with increased risks when compared to a TF approach. Recently, planned treatment of iliofemoral artery disease using intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) has emerged as a means of preserving TF access. Ipsilateral or contralateral femoral artery access has been routinely used to perform IVL but its use may be limited in certain conditions. Here we describe the novel technique of using percutaneous axillary artery access to perform IVL of iliofemoral artery to facilitate its use for large bore access. We present a 78-year-old high surgical risk female with severe aortic stenosis who was found to have a prior stent in the contralateral iliac artery protruding into the aorta which limited a traditional 'up and over' approach, and thus axillary artery access was used to perform IVL. This is the first case in literature to describe the use of percutaneous axillary access to perform IVL of the iliac and common femoral artery to facilitate TF TAVI. Based on our previous experience we feel this technique holds promise for a routine use when use of other access sites is limited., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Author RT reports speaker or consulting fee from Shockwave Medical and Edwards Lifesciences. Author AS reports speaker or consulting fee from Edwards Lifesciences. Remaining authors report no disclosures pertaining to this article., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The use of mechanical circulatory support devices has seen a dramatic rise over the last few years owing to their increased use not only in acute circulatory collapse but also their prophylactic use in high-risk procedures. These devices continue to have their overall benefits marginalized due to the relatively high rates of complications. Vascular complications are the most common and are associated with increased risk of mortality in these patients. Preventive measures at each stage of procedure, frequent monitoring and assessment to recognize early signs of deterioration are the best ways to mitigate the effects of vascular complications., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The current study aims to investigate the impact of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation on weight loss and functional status in obese patients bridged to transplantation (BTT). The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried to identify patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 who underwent LVAD implantation as BTT from 2008 to 2018. Patients were divided into three groups based the World Health Organization classification of obesity: obesity class I (BMI, 30.0-34.9 kg/m2), obesity class II (BMI, 35-39.9 kg/m2), and obesity class III (BMI, >40 kg/m2). Patients with incomplete data on BMI were excluded. The primary outcome was a change in BMI while listed. Secondary outcomes included a change in functional status after LVAD implantation and posttransplant morbidity and survival. Out of 14,191 patients who had an LVAD while listed within the study period, 5,354 (37.7%) had a BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Obesity was classified as class I in 3,909 (73%), class II in 1,275 (23.8%), and class III in 170 (3.2%) patients. Among patients with complete data on BMI, 18.9% (n = 394) reported a change in BMI, leading to an improvement in their obesity class, and this was similar for all obesity classes (22% [n = 331], 50% [n = 111], and 60% [n = 43] for classes I, II, and III, respectively). All groups reported an improvement in functional status (65% vs. 62% and 61% for classes I, II, and III, respectively). Posttransplant survival was not significantly different between obese groups (p = 0.787). Compared with classes I and II, the incidence of thrombosis (p = 0.0006) and device malfunction (p = 0.036) was significantly higher in the class III group. About one out of every five obese patients listed for heart transplantation with an LVAD loses weight, leading to a change in their BMI class. Most patients reported a significant improvement in their functional status. Among those successfully BTT, posttransplant survival was similar., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © ASAIO 2020.)

Randomized controlled trials comparing drug eluting stents (DES) with bare-metal stents (BMS) for saphenous vein graft (SVG) interventions have shown conflicting results. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the cumulative evidence for long-term efficacy and safety of DES vs BMS in SVG lesions. A systematic search was conducted of Randomized controlled trials comparing DES vs BMS in patients undergoing percutaneous interventions for SVG lesions. End-points of interest were all-cause death, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization and target vessel revascularization at longest available follow-up. Random effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate risk ratio with 95% confidence intervals for individual end-points. Seven studies with 1639 patients were included in the final analysis. Mean follow-up period was 32 months. Compared with BMS, DES was associated with similar risks of all-cause death (risk ratio 1.06; 95% confidence intervals 0.76-1.48) and cardiac death (0.95; 0.59-1.54). Similarly, there were no differences between DES and BMS in terms of myocardial infarction (0.81; 0.50-1.29), target vessel revascularization (0.73; 0.48-1.110 or target lesion revascularization (1.05; 0.76-1.43). Current analysis suggests no strong evidence for routine DES use in patients undergoing SVG intervention. Future studies should evaluate if SVG lesion characteristics could influence these results., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There has been increasing utilization of short-term mechanical circulatory support devices for a variety of clinical indications. Many patients have suboptimal iliofemoral access options or reasons why early mobilization is desirable. Axillary artery access is an option for these patients, but little is known about the utility of this approach to facilitate short-term use for circulatory support with microaxial pump devices., Methods: The Axillary Access Registry to Monitor Safety (ARMS) was a prospective, observational multicenter registry to study the feasibility and acute safety of mechanical circulatory support via percutaneous upper-extremity access., Results: One hundred and two patients were collected from 10 participating centers. Successful device implantation was 98% (100 of 102). Devices were implanted for a median of 2 days (interquartile range, 0-5 days; range, 0-35 days). Procedural complications included 10 bleeding events and 1 stroke. There were 3 patients with brachial plexus-related symptoms all consisting of C8 tingling and all arising after multiple days of support. Postprocedural access site hematoma or bleeding was noted in 9 patients. Device explantation utilized closure devices alone in 61%, stent grafts in 17%, balloon tamponade facilitated closure in 15%, and planned surgical explant in 5%. Duration of support appeared to be independently associated with a 1.1% increased odds of vascular complication per day ([95% CI, 0.0%-2.3%] P =0.05)., Conclusions: Percutaneous axillary access for use with microaxial support pumps appears feasible with acceptable rates of bleeding despite early experience. Larger studies are necessary to confirm the pilot data presented here.

Objectives: To systematically review relevant literature regarding cardiovascular outcomes of large-bore axillary arterial access via percutaneous and surgical approaches., Background: In patients with severe peripheral arterial disease (PAD) undergoing cardiac interventions, large-bore femoral access may be prohibitive. The axillary artery provides an alternative vascular access for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or mechanical circulatory support. There have been limited comparisons of percutaneous transaxillary (pTAX) approach with the more traditional surgical transaxillary (sTAX) approach., Methods: Pubmed and Medline databases were queried through January 2019 for studies describing pTAX or sTAX approaches with TAVR or Impella insertion. Primary outcomes were access-related mortality, 30-day mortality, stroke, major vascular complications, and major bleeding., Results: One hundred and fifty five studies were reviewed, with additional unpublished data from 1 institution. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Patient data was heterogeneous, with 69% TAVR and 31% Impella use in the pTAX group, and 96% TAVR and 4% Impella use in the sTAX group. There was more cardiogenic shock in the pTAX group. When compared to surgical approach, the percutaneous approach had similar 30-day mortality for TAVR (5.6% vs 4.6%, OR non-significant) and Impella (43.4% vs 38.6%, OR non-significant), similar stroke rates (4.3% vs 4.2%, OR non-significant), similar major vascular complications (2.8% vs 2.3%, OR non-significant) and less major bleeding (2.7% vs 17.9%, OR significant)., Conclusions: Data suggests large-bore pTAX access has similar 30-day mortality, stroke rates, and major vascular complications as sTAX access, with less major bleeding. Additional studies are needed to validate results., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

We sought to study the feasibility of axillary artery as alternative access for mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in cardiogenic shock and high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HR-PCI) patients with severe occlusive peripheral artery disease (PAD). In patients with severe PAD, the iliofemoral artery may be so diseased preventing deployment of MCS, precluding the use of lifesaving therapy. In such circumstances, the axillary artery may be a viable access site. Records of all patients presenting with cardiogenic shock or HR-PCI requiring MCS through axillary artery access at our institution from January 2016 to September 2018 were examined. Demographics, clinical, procedural, and outcomes data were collected on all patients. A total of 48 patients presented with cardiogenic shock (60%) or HR-PCI (40%) requiring MCS via axillary artery due to prohibitive PAD (mean age 66 ± 11 years). Admission diagnoses were non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (38%), unstable angina (23%), ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (19%), and cardiac arrest (21%). Time from axillary access to activation of Impella was 11.9 ± 4 minutes. Four patients required concomitant Impella RP for right ventricular support due to biventricular cardiogenic shock. Twenty-two patients died before Impella was explanted due to multiorgan failure, stroke, and infection. None of the patients who died had vascular complications related to axillary access. Axillary artery appears to be a viable alternative access for large bore devices in patients with prohibitive PAD. As experience of the field with this approach grows, it may be the default access for deployment of large bore sheaths in the future., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure devices are alternative treatments recently approved for patients with atrial fibrillation. Due to the novelty of these devices, limited postapproval surveillance data on LAA closure devices have been published. Thus, we analyzed the United States Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database to report these findings. The primary endpoint was final event outcome, and secondary endpoints included management strategies of reported events.

Background: The prevalence of peripheral vascular disease has led to the re-emergence of percutaneous axillary vascular access as a suitable alternative access site to femoral artery. We sought to investigate the efficacy and safety of manual hemostasis in the axillary artery., Methods: Data were collected from a prospective internal registry of patients who had a Maquet® (Rastatt, Germany) Mega 50 cc intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) placed in the axillary artery position. They were anticoagulated with weight-based intravenous heparin to maintain an activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of 50-80 seconds. Anticoagulation was discontinued 2 hours prior to the device explantation. Manual compression was used to achieve the hemostasis of the axillary artery. Vascular and bleeding complications attributable to manual hemostasis were classified based on the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium-2 (BARC-2) classifications, respectively., Results: 29 of 46 patients (63%) achieved axillary artery homeostasis via manual compression. The median duration of IABP implantation was 12 days (range 1-54 days). Median compression time was 20 minutes (range 5-60 minutes). There were no major vascular or bleeding complications as defined by the VARC-2 and BARC-2 criteria, respectively., Conclusion: Manual compression of the axillary artery appears to be an effective and safe method for achieving hemostasis. Large prospective randomized control trials may be needed to corroborate these findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Rajiv Tayal et al.)

Objectives: To assess the safety and feasibility of percutaneous transaxillary (TAx) access for peripheral endovascular interventions., Background: The common femoral artery (CFA) is the most commonly used access site for peripheral endovascular interventions. However, its use might be precluded in multiple circumstances. The axillary artery is comparable in size to the CFA and is less affected by atherosclerosis. Data regarding its percutaneous use in peripheral endovascular interventions are scarce., Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous TAx peripheral endovascular interventions were identified. Demographic and periprocedural data were extracted. Axillary artery access was obtained percutaneously with the arm abducted. A destination sheath was advanced to the relevant vessel. Endovascular interventions were performed using standard devices and techniques. Vascular closure devices were utilized to achieve hemostasis. Primary endpoints included procedural technical success, access-related complications, and major adverse events (MAEs). Secondary endpoints included cannulation time, total procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and length of stay (LOS)., Results: Percutaneous TAx access was successfully utilized to perform 41 procedures in 29 patients, lacking a suitable conventional access. Three quarters of target vessels were infrainguinal. The lesions of 61% were classified as TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) C or D. Access-related complications occurred in two procedures (5%). No MAEs occurred. Median cannulation time was 12 min, procedure time 135 min, fluoroscopy time 20 min, and LOS 1 day., Conclusions: When no suitable access exists for lower extremity catheter-based interventions, percutaneous TAx approach is a feasible and safe alternative. As such facility with this approach is a valuable asset for interventionalists., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction : Use of acute mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices for high-risk cardiac intervention, cardiogenic shock, and advanced heart failure is growing. Alternate vascular access options for these devices remains a clinical challenge. Building on experience from trans-aortic valve replacement procedures, the axillary artery is becoming a common access route for acute MCS and represents an important advance in the development of acute MCS technologies. Areas covered : Authors review the clinical data and technical aspect of acute MCS deployment via the axillary artery. Axillary access is particularly useful for patients: 1) with severe peripheral vascular disease, 2) with hostile femoral access due to infection, indwelling endovascular devices, or obesity, and 3) to provide early mobility and ambulation. In this review, we discuss the deployment, technical issues and hemostasis regarding the use of intraaortic balloon pump, specifically, axillary intraaortic balloon pumps, trans-valvular left ventricular Impella pumps and arterial outflow of VA-ECMO. Expert opinion : Vascular comorbidities or device design may limit the traditional iliofemoral access route for acute mechanical circulatory support devices. Large bore access for the deployment of these devices through the axillary artery is feasible and safe when appropriate vascular access and closure techniques are used.

Crossing of a critically stenosed aortic valve is a pivotal step during diagnostic cardiac catheterization to measure the transvalvular gradient, especially in patients with discordant clinical and echocardiographic findings and also during transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures. However, there are no data in the literature indicating whether aortic valve crossing typically occurs during systole or diastole. We hypothesize that aortic valve crossing is a diastolic phenomenon and describe our technique for crossing critically stenosed aortic valves.

Contrary to popular wisdom, predominantly unilateral aortoiliac bifurcation disease can be safely treated with a single stent if the contralateral common iliac ostium is protected with matching balloon inflation. Larger studies on this novel approach with a longer clinical follow-up are needed to validate our results.