Ghorbanzadeh, Atefeh

Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients are at risk of splanchnic vein thromboses (SVT). Prior studies have failed to demonstrate a benefit of hydroxyurea therapy in preventing recurrent thrombosis after SVT, but are limited by small sample sizes and inability to account for starting, stopping, or switching of cytoreductive therapies. To better assess the impact of cytoreductive therapy on thrombosis recurrence, we performed a retrospective cohort study of MPN-SVT patients from the international GASTRO-MPN Consortium, treating cytoreductive therapy as a time-dependent covariate. We identified 757 patients, of which 43% were treated with cytoreductive therapy. During a median follow-up of 7.4 years, 256 patients (34%) had thrombosis recurrence; 145 (19%) had SVT extension/recurrence/TIPS thrombosis, 138 (18%) an thrombosis recurrence outside the splanchnic bed (74% were venous). Additionally, 262 patients (35%) experienced clinically relevant bleeding and 170 (22%) died. After adjusting for age, sex, prior thrombosis, timing of MPN diagnosis relative to SVT, anticoagulation initiation within 30 days of SVT diagnosis, MPN type, JAK2 status, other cancers and cirrhosis, cytoreductive therapy was associated with a decreased risk of recurrent thrombosis (HR 0.67 95%CI 0.50-0.89, p=0.01). This was driven by a lower risk of SVT extension/recurrence (HR 0.62 95%CI 0.42-0.90, p=0.01) but not by extra-splanchnic thrombosis recurrence (HR 0.97 95%CI 0.72-1.30, p=0.82). In a subgroup of patients without erythrocytosis/thrombocytosis at initial SVT (n=275), cytoreductive therapy was associated with a HR 0.65 (95%CI 0.40-1.07, p=0.09) for recurrent thrombosis. These data support the use of cytoreductive therapy in MPN-SVT patients to prevent recurrent thrombosis, particularly SVT extension/recurrence.

Abstract Optimal management of anticoagulation for patients with aortic mechanical heart valves (MHVs) receiving vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures is clinically challenging. Risk of bleeding from an unanticipated polypectomy or biopsy further complicates this issue. Current guidelines on use of bridging with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for these procedures are based on low-quality evidence. We conducted a subanalysis of a retrospective, multicenter observational study of adult patients with aortic MHVs receiving VKAs who underwent elective gastrointestinal endoscopies (colonoscopy or upper endoscopy). We included patients who underwent the procedure between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2023, at five centers in Canada and the United States Patients with procedures performed on separate days within a 30-day period were excluded. Efficacy and safety outcomes included thromboembolic events, major bleeding (MB), and clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB) in the 30 days post procedure. A total of 192 endoscopic procedures were analyzed. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) patient age was 66 years (58.2–72.8) and 22% were female. Warfarin was interrupted for 185 procedures (96%). Among these, 119 (64%) received LMWH bridging: 33 (17%) pre-procedure only, 10 (5%) post-procedure only, and 76 (40%) both pre- and post-procedure. Post-procedure LMWH was initiated a median (IQR) of 1 day (1–1) and discontinued 5 days post-procedure (3–8). MB occurred in two patients (1%), CRNMB in two patients (1%), and one death (0.5%) was identified; no thromboembolic events occurred. Prior to propensity score matching (PSM), post-procedure LMWH with or without pre procedure LMWH was associated with the composite outcome of MB and CRNMB (P = 0.034), although not with MB or CRNMB individually. After stepwise regression and PSM analyses, no significant differences in bleeding outcomes were observed between patients who received LMWH bridging and those who did not. Our findings indicate that although adverse thrombotic events were rare and use of post-procedure LMWH bridging was significantly associated with a small absolute increased risk of bleeding, it was not significant after PSM. Larger prospective studies are needed to better inform antithrombotic management guidelines for patients with aortic MHVs undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Abstract Background Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are at risk of splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT). Prior studies failed to demonstrate a benefit of hydroxyurea in preventing SVT extension/recurrence, but these were limited by small sample sizes and inability to account for starting, stopping, or switching of cytoreductive therapies. We therefore investigated the role of cytoreduction as a time-dependent covariate on thrombosis recurrence in a large, international cohort of MPN-SVT patients. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of MPN-SVT patients included in the international GASTRO-MPN consortium. Patients diagnosed with MPN at any time before, concurrently with, or up to 60 days after initial SVT were included. Primary outcome was time from initial SVT to first thrombosis recurrence, defined as the composite of SVT extension/recurrence, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) thrombosis, or venous/arterial thrombosis outside the splanchnic veins. Secondary outcomes included SVT extension/recurrence, TIPS thrombosis or extra-SVT thrombosis individually, clinically relevant bleeding (composite of major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding), MPN progression to myelofibrosis or blast phase, and death. Cytoreductive therapy was treated as a time-dependent covariate to account for discontinuation and therapy changes. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results A total of 757 patients were included for this analysis. Median age was 51 years (IQR 38-62), 59% were female. SVT involved the portomesenteric veins in 558 (77%) patients, hepatic veins in 95 (13%), and both in 54 (7.4%). MPN was known prior to initial SVT in 316 patients (42%) and diagnosed concurrently or up to 60 days after SVT in 441 (58%). Polycythemia vera (PV) was the most common MPN subtype (43%), followed by essential thrombocythemia (ET) in 24%, and primary myelofibrosis in 14%. JAK2V617F mutation was present in 86% and CALR in 2.9%. 13% had prior non-SVT thrombosis. 607 patients (83%) were treated with cytoreduction. At time of SVT, 131 patients (17%) were already on cytoreduction; in those who started after SVT, median time to initiation was 54 days after SVT, and median duration of cytoreduction per patient was 63 months. Cytoreductive therapies used at any point in treatment included hydroxyurea in 504 (69%), ruxolitinib in 182 (25%), and interferon-based in 85 (12%) patients. Anticoagulation (AC) was started within 30 days after SVT in 504 (68%) patients. Median duration of any AC per patient was 24.6 months. During a median follow up of 7.4 years, 245 patients (33%) had thrombosis recurrence; 143 (20%) had SVT extension/recurrence/TIPS thrombosis, 129 (18%) extra-SVT thrombosis (of which 74% venous), 237 patients (32%) experienced clinically relevant bleeding, and 163 (22%) died. After adjusting for age, sex, timing of MPN diagnosis relative to SVT diagnosis, AC within 30 days of SVT, PV/ET vs other MPN, JAK2 mutation, previous thrombosis, non-MPN cancer, and cirrhosis, cytoreductive therapy was associated with a significantly decreased risk of recurrent thrombosis (HR 0.67 95%CI 0.50-0.89, p=0.01). Age was associated with an increased risk of recurrent thrombosis (p=0.01). When considering types of recurrent thrombosis, cytoreduction was associated with a decreased risk of SVT extension/recurrence/TIPS thrombosis (HR 0.62 95%CI 0.42-0.90, p=0.01), but not thrombosis outside the splanchnic veins (HR 0.97 95%CI 0.72-1.30, p=0.82). There was no association between cytoreduction and bleeding (HR 1.10 95%CI 0.82-1.47, p=0.52). Similarly, there was no association between cytoreduction and time to MPN progression (p=0.24) or overall survival (p=0.30). In a subgroup of patients without erythrocytosis/thrombocytosis at initial SVT (n=271), cytoreductive therapy was associated with a HR 0.65 (95%CI 0.40-1.10, p=0.09) for recurrent thrombosis. Limited sample size and low event-rate precluded evaluation of the impact of individual cytoreductive therapies. Conclusions In the largest cohort of MPN-SVT patients to date, we show for the first time that cytoreductive therapy is associated with a decreased risk of thrombosis recurrence, driven largely by decreased SVT extension/recurrence/TIPS thrombosis. Collectively, these findings support use of cytoreductive therapy in individuals with MPN-SVT to prevent recurrent thrombosis.

Abstract Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been revolutionary in the treatment of blood cancers, but has been associated with arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AF). The treatment course and cardiovascular outcomes of patients who develop new or recurrent AF after CAR-T has yet to be explored. Methods We extracted a cohort of patients who underwent CAR T-cell therapy between 2016 and 2022. The endpoint of interest was defined as the first episode of new or recurrent AF during or after CAR-T infusion. Patients with persistent or permanent AF were not counted as events. Tocilizumab use was not counted for patients who had an AF event more than 30 days after CAR-T infusion. Chart review was used to delineate patient treatments and outcomes. Survival analyses techniques were used to define risk of new or recurrent AF. Results There were 328 patients who underwent CAR T-cell therapy between 2016 and 2022, of which 41 had prior history of AF. Overall, there were 10 new and 9 recurrent AF events after CAR T-cell infusion, with a composite cumulative incidence risk of 5.8%. The majority of these events occurred within 30 days of receiving CAR-T (N=14, 73.7%). All events that occurred after 30 days were associated with significant hospitalizations unrelated to CAR-T. Rate control was the preferred method of treatment, with beta blockers being the preferred first-line therapy for both patients on and not on baseline beta blockers (Table). 2 patients were given amiodarone prophylactically prior to CAR-T infusion. Only 1 patient received cardioversion, 15 days after the AF event, but had recurrence shortly thereafter. Only 2 patients were on chronic anticoagulation, and both had history of AF prior to CAR-T. Tocilizumab was given to 9 patients (47.4%) before the onset of AF and not significantly associated to decreased risk of developing new or recurrent AF (HR 1.16, CI 0.47-2.83, P=0.75). Tocilizumab was more likely given to patients with higher cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity grading (Figure). There were no myocardial infarctions or strokes. Conclusion Atrial fibrillation is a rare complication of CAR T-cell therapy. Rate-control strategies remain the preferred method of treatment. Very few patients were given anticoagulation, but the incidence of subsequent stroke was negligible. More investigation will need to be undertaken to determine methods of preventing AF in the setting of CAR-T therapy.CAR-T AF Patient Case Series

Background: The calf muscle pump is an understudied contributor to venous return from the lower extremity. This study aimed to determine if calf pump function (CPF) is independently associated with the severity of chronic venous disease classified by CEAP (Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology). Methods: The Mayo Clinic Vascular Laboratory database was analyzed from January 2015 through September 2023. Ambulatory adults who underwent venous air plethysmography were included. Venous plethysmography assessed the severity of venous incompetence, and CPF was measured as ejection fraction (EF) per leg. The clinical component (C0 through C6) of the CEAP score was evaluated for each extremity at the time of the study. Results: A total of 7760 limbs from 3733 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 62 years, with 62% women. Venous obstruction was detected in 3.2% of limbs. Venous incompetence severity was categorized as normal (44%), mild (26%), moderate (19%), and severe (10%). A significant trend of reduced CPF was observed with higher CEAP scores ( p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, degree of venous incompetence, and obstruction showed reduced CPF was a significant predictor (odds ratio 1.84, CI: 1.5–2.2) of active/prior ulcer (C5 or C6). In contrast to more severely reduced CPF, mildly reduced CPF (EF 40–49%) was not associated with active/prior ulcers. Conclusion: This large contemporary study demonstrates that decreased CPF is associated with worse chronic venous disease. Importantly, we demonstrate for the first time that CPF is independently associated with active/prior venous ulcers after accounting for other venous physiologic parameters and demographics.

Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are chronic leukemias with increased thrombotic risk. Venous thrombosis in MPN often occurs in atypical sites, such as splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), defined by thrombosis in the portal, hepatic, mesenteric, or splenic veins. Data to guide anticoagulation management of SVT in MPN patients is lacking. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate outcomes as well as the safety and efficacy of different anticoagulation strategies in MPN patients with SVT. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of MPN patients with SVT from 10 international centers was conducted. All centers performed systematic identification of adults with a World Health Organization 2016 diagnosis of an MPN (polycythemia vera [PV], essential thrombocythemia [ET], myelofibrosis [MF], prefibrotic MF, MPN-unclassifiable [MPN-U]) and confirmed SVT. Inclusion criteria were met if first SVT occurred after or within one year before MPN was diagnosed. The primary outcome was 1-year cumulative incidence of recurrent venous (VT) or arterial thrombosis (AT). Secondary outcomes included 1-year cumulative incidence of (1) major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB) by International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis criteria, (2) SVT recanalization; and (3) 1-year overall survival. Death as a competing risk was used for cumulative incidence analyses of recurrence and bleeding. Results: 486 MPN patients (median age at first SVT 51 years; 62.3% female) were identified. MPN diagnosis preceded SVT in 35.2% of patients (median time 4.8 years) and occurred simultaneously or within 1 year of first SVT in 64.8% of patients. 43.8% of patients had PV, 23.7% ET, 14.2% MF, 3.1% prefibrotic MF and 13.2% MPN-U. The most common driver mutation was in JAK2 (90.7%) followed by CALR (4.4%) and MPL (1.6%). SVT localization was isolated to portal (25.7%), hepatic (15.4%), mesenteric (1.9%), and splenic veins (4.3%), and in 51.2% of cases SVT occurred in multiple vessels. Prior VT or AT occurred in 8.8% and 4.1% of subjects, respectively. Cytoreduction (most commonly hydroxyurea [36.9%], interferon [9.6%] or JAK inhibitor [6.8%]) was started after SVT in 58.7% of newly diagnosed MPN patients and 40.6% of those with known MPN. 57.6% of patients were anticoagulated, 3.5% of patients were treated with an antiplatelet agent, and 11.7% were treated with both. The most common initial anticoagulants were vitamin K antagonists (VKA) (29.2%), direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC; 20.4%), and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH; 10.5%). DOACs were more commonly used in the USA and Asia than Europe (21.2%, 52%, and 13.5%; p&lt;0.001). The median duration of anticoagulation was 23.9 months, with 62.8% still on anticoagulation after 3 years or at last follow-up. 1-year cumulative incidence of recurrent VT and AT was 14% (95% CI 11-18) (5.8% for recurrent SVT [95% CI 3.9-8.3]; 6.3% for other VT [95% CI 4.3-8.8]; 2.4% for AT [95% CI 1.3-4.2]), with an overall time to event 89 (IQR 34-193) days. Thrombosis incidence was similar in patients initially treated with VKA (13%), DOAC (15%) or LMWH (16%) (p=0.93); in comparison, individuals not treated with anticoagulation had 1-year thrombosis incidence of 13% (p=0.22). 1-year major and CRNMB cumulative incidence in all patients was 5.8% (95% CI 3.9-8.2) and 8.5% (95% CI 6.1-11), with median time to event 68 (IQR 13-150) days. Incidence of major bleeding was similar in VKA, DOAC, and LMWH-treated patients (5.9%, 6.6%, and 4.0%; p=0.89). 1-year cumulative incidence of SVT (partial) recanalization was 13% (95% CI 9.8-16) in all patients, with a median time to recanalization of 127 (IQR 40-323) days; recanalization rates were similar in anticoagulated and non-anticoagulated patients (p=0.76). There was a trend toward higher recanalization rates in patients treated with DOAC (26.9%) than with VKA (21.5%) or LMWH (13.6%; p=0.28). 1-year overall survival was 94.2% (95% CI 91.8-96.1) and similar between treatment groups (VKA 96.7%, DOAC 95.6%, LMWH 89.7%; p=0.11) and for no anticoagulation (82.3%; p=0.32). Conclusions: This is the largest contemporary cohort of MPN patients with SVT. MPN patients with SVT remain at risk for short-term thrombosis and bleeding complications regardless of treatment. We found no significant differences in outcomes between anticoagulation strategies, including in patients treated with DOACs compared to VKA or LMWH.

Background: Exercise stress testing uses metabolic equivalents of tasks (METs) to measure the energy cost of activities, aiding in the assessment of exercise capacity and cardiovascular health. Despite its significance, the correlation between calf muscle pump function (CPF) and exercise stress testing remains unexplored. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between CPF and peak METs as determined by cardiopulmonary treadmill exercise stress testing. Methods: The study included adults who underwent exercise cardiopulmonary stress testing and venous plethysmography at Mayo Clinic between April 2017 and March 2020. The protocols other than Bruce, Mayo, Modified Naughton, and Naughton protocols were excluded. The CPF ejection fraction (EF) was calculated per leg based on refill volumes post-exercise as a percentage of passive drain refill. The classification of CEAP (Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology) was utilized to better understand chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Results: A total of 155 patients who underwent both exercise stress testing and venous plethysmography were included, with a mean age of 61.31 ± 14.03 years, and 84 (54.2%) were male. The peak measured METs for normal, unilaterally reduced, and bilaterally reduced CPF were 8.5 (2.5), 7.3 (2.1), and 7.1 (2.4), respectively (p=0.004, Figure 1). Multiple linear regression models were developed with METs as the outcome to determine if CPF was an independent predictor of METs on cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing. IIn model 1, the following independent variables were included: resting heart rate, peak heart rate, peak systolic blood pressure, recovery heart rate at minute 1, and worst EF (Table 1). In model 1, with only exercise parameters, lower EF was associated with lower METs (p=0.03). In a second analysis, variables identified as statistically significant with METs in the initial model were included, along with CEAP class (model 2) and CCI (model 3) (Table 2). In model 2, CEAP class 3 or higher was associated with decreased METs on the exercise stress test. This correlation implies that individuals with moderate to severe CVI may influence exercise capacity, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the cardiovascular system. Moreover, in model 3, the CCI, a predictor for mortality, was not significantly associated with METs. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that more severe CVI (CEAP class and reduced CPF) was associated with reduced exercise capacity after accounting for other factors.

Abstract Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been revolutionary in the treatment of blood cancers, but has been associated with arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether the incidence of AF has changed over time and if contributing risk factors are present remains to be defined. Methods Leveraging the Mayo Electronic Medical Record, we extracted a cohort of patients who underwent CAR T-cell therapy between 2016 and 2022. From this cohort, we identified those who had a diagnosis of AF at any point. We then defined the endpoint of interest as the first episode of new or recurrent AF during or after CAR T-cell infusion. Fine and Gray subdistribution hazard modeling was used to calculate the association of patient characteristics to the endpoint of interest. Variables with P&lt;0.20 in univariate modeling were chosen for the multivariate model. Significance was defined as P&lt;0.05. Results There were 328 patients who underwent CAR T-cell therapy between 2016 and 2022. Of this cohort, 27 (8.2%) patients had a pre-existing diagnosis of AF, of which 6 had recurrence of AF after CAR T (22.2%), while 21 (77.8%) did not. Of the 301 patients without a prior history of AF, 8 (2.7%) patients developed new-onset AF after CAR T. The majority of the 14 new or recurrent AF events (4.3% overall incidence) occurred within 30 days of receiving CAR T (N=10, 71.4%), the remainder after 180 days (Figure 1). No trend in declining incidence over time was noted. Prior AF, neurotoxicity, and inflammation (cytokine release syndrome and macrophage activating syndrome-like (MAS-L)) were strongly associated with the risk of developing new or recurrent AF (Table 1). Only presence of MAS-L remained an independent predictor in the multivariate model (HR 15.4, 95% CI 3.9-61.2, P&lt;0.001). Conclusion AF is mainly seen early following CAR T-cell therapy, and mainly in association with severe inflammatory responses. Early and aggressive treatment of CRS and MAS-L may be recommendable for patients undergoing CAR-T therapy, especially for those with a prior history of AF.

Abstract: Paradoxical embolism represents a critical and potentially fatal complication that can be associated with pulmonary embolism (PE). This case details a unique case of massive PE, further complicated by embolic stroke occurring during catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy. There was no evidence of thrombosis during the initial evaluation with lower extremity Doppler ultrasound, abdominal computed tomography scan, and transthoracic echocardiography. Differentials for the source of the emboli include unrecognized left atrial appendage thrombus, pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, and a patent left foramen ovale. Our findings highlight the complexities and treatment challenges of massive PE.

Abstract VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome, caused by somatic mutations in UBA1, is an autoinflammatory disorder with diverse systemic manifestations. Thrombosis is a prominent clinical feature of VEXAS syndrome. The risk factors and frequency of thrombosis in VEXAS syndrome are not well described, due to the disease’s recent discovery and the paucity of large databases. We evaluated 119 patients with VEXAS syndrome for venous and arterial thrombosis and correlated their presence with clinical outcomes and survival. Thrombosis occurred in 49% of patients, mostly venous thromboembolism (VTE; 41%). Almost two-thirds of VTEs were unprovoked, 41% were recurrent, and 20% occurred despite anticoagulation. The cumulative incidence of VTE was 17% at 1 year from symptom onset and 40% by 5 years. Cardiac and pulmonary inflammatory manifestations were associated with time to VTE. M41L was positively associated specifically with pulmonary embolism by univariate (odds ratio [OR]: 4.58, confidence interval [CI] 1.28-16.21, P = .02) and multivariate (OR: 16.94, CI 1.99-144.3, P = .01) logistic regression. The cumulative incidence of arterial thrombosis was 6% at 1 year and 11% at 5 years. The overall survival of the entire patient cohort at median follow-up time of 4.8 years was 88%, and there was no difference in survival between patients with or without thrombosis (P = .8). Patients with VEXAS syndrome are at high risk of VTE; thromboprophylaxis should administered be in high-risk settings unless strongly contraindicated.