Bugger, Heiko

Importance Although the results of A Study to Evaluate the Corvia Medical Inc IASD System II to Reduce Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Heart Failure (REDUCE LAP-HF II) trial were neutral overall, atrial shunt therapy demonstrated potential efficacy in responders (no latent pulmonary vascular disease and no cardiac rhythm management device). Post hoc analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of shunt vs sham stratified by responder status. Objective To evaluate the effect of atrial shunt vs sham control on cardiac structure/function in the overall study and stratified by responder status. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a sham-controlled randomized clinical trial of an atrial shunt device in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)/HF with mildly reduced EF (HFmrEF). Trial participants with evaluable echocardiography scans were recruited from 89 international medical centers. Data were analyzed from April 2023 to January 2024. Interventions Atrial shunt device or sham control. Main Outcome Measures Changes in echocardiographic measures from baseline to 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after index procedure. Results The modified intention-to-treat analysis of the REDUCE LAP-HF II trial included 621 randomized patients (median [IQR] age, 72.0 [66.0-77.0] years; 382 female [61.5%]; shunt arm, 309 [49.8%]; sham control arm, 312 [50.2%]). Through 24 months, 212 of 217 patients (98%) in the shunt arm with evaluable echocardiograms had patent shunts. In the overall trial population, the shunt reduced left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (mean difference, −5.65 mL; P <.001), left atrial (LA) minimal volume (mean difference, −2.8 mL; P =.01), and improved LV systolic tissue Doppler velocity (mean difference, 0.69 cm/s; P <.001) and LA emptying fraction (mean difference, 1.88 percentage units; P =.02) compared with sham. Shunt treatment also increased right ventricular (RV; mean difference, 9.58 mL; P <.001) and right atrial (RA; mean difference, 9.71 mL; P <.001) volumes but had no effect on RV systolic function, pulmonary artery pressure, or RA pressure compared with sham. In the shunt arm, responders had smaller increases in RV end-diastolic volume (mean difference, 5.71 mL vs 15.18 mL; interaction P =.01), RV end-systolic volume (mean difference, 1.58 mL vs 7.89 mL; interaction P =.002), and RV/LV ratio (mean difference, 0.07 vs 0.20; interaction P <.001) and larger increases in transmitral A wave velocity (mean difference, 5.08 cm/s vs −1.97 cm/s; interaction P =.02) compared with nonresponders randomized to the shunt, suggesting greater ability to accommodate shunted blood through the pulmonary circulation enabling LA unloading. Conclusions and Relevance In this post hoc analysis of the REDUCE LAP-HF II trial, over 2 years of follow-up, atrial shunting led to reverse remodeling of left-sided chambers and increases in volume of right-sided chambers consistent with the shunt flow but no change in RV systolic function compared with sham. Changes in cardiac structure/function were more favorable in responders compared with nonresponders treated with the shunt, supporting the previously identified responder group hypothesis and mechanism, although further evaluation with longer follow-up is needed. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03088033

Abstract Aims Obesity is causally related to the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) but complicates the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. We aimed to determine the relationship between severity of obesity and clinical, echocardiographic and haemodynamic parameters in a large cohort of patients with documented HFpEF. Methods and results The REDUCE LAP-HF II trial randomized 626 patients with ejection fraction ≥40% and exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥25 mmHg to atrial shunt or sham procedure. We tested for associations between body mass index (BMI), clinical characteristics, cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, physical limitations, quality of life and outcomes with atrial shunt therapy. Overall, 60.9% of patients had BMI ≥30 kg/m2. As the severity of obesity increased, symptoms (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score) and 6-min walk distance worsened. More severe obesity was associated with lower natriuretic peptide levels despite more cardiac remodelling, higher cardiac filling pressures, and higher cardiac output. Lower cut points for E/e′ were needed to identify elevated PCWP in more obese patients. Strain measurements in all four chambers were maintained as BMI increased. Pulmonary vascular resistance at rest and exercise decreased with higher BMI. Obesity was associated with more first and recurrent heart failure events. However, there was no significant interaction between obesity and treatment effects of the atrial shunt. Conclusions Increasing severity of obesity was associated with greater cardiac remodelling, higher right and left ventricular filling pressures, higher cardiac output and increased subsequent heart failure events. Despite significant obesity, many HFpEF patients have preserved right heart and pulmonary vascular function and thus, may be appropriate candidates for atrial shunt therapy.

Background: In REDUCE LAP-HF II (A Study to Evaluate the Corvia Medical, Inc IASD System II to Reduce Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients With Heart Failure), implantation of an atrial shunt device did not provide overall clinical benefit for patients with heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction. However, prespecified analyses identified differences in response in subgroups defined by pulmonary artery systolic pressure during submaximal exercise, right atrial volume, and sex. Shunt implantation reduces left atrial pressures but increases pulmonary blood flow, which may be poorly tolerated in patients with pulmonary vascular disease (PVD). On the basis of these results, we hypothesized that patients with latent PVD, defined as elevated pulmonary vascular resistance during exercise, might be harmed by shunt implantation, and conversely that patients without PVD might benefit. Methods: REDUCE LAP-HF II enrolled 626 patients with heart failure, ejection fraction ≥40%, exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ≥25 mm Hg, and resting pulmonary vascular resistance <3.5 Wood units who were randomized 1:1 to atrial shunt device or sham control. The primary outcome—a hierarchical composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal ischemic stroke, recurrent HF events, and change in health status—was analyzed using the win ratio. Latent PVD was defined as pulmonary vascular resistance ≥1.74 Wood units (highest tertile) at peak exercise, measured before randomization. Results: Compared with patients without PVD (n=382), those with latent PVD (n=188) were older, had more atrial fibrillation and right heart dysfunction, and were more likely to have elevated left atrial pressure at rest. Shunt treatment was associated with worse outcomes in patients with PVD (win ratio, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.42, 0.86]; P =0.005) and signal of clinical benefit in patients without PVD (win ratio, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.02, 1.68]; P =0.038). Patients with larger right atrial volumes and men had worse outcomes with the device and both groups were more likely to have pacemakers, heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction, and increased left atrial volume. For patients without latent PVD or pacemaker (n=313; 50% of randomized patients), shunt treatment resulted in more robust signal of clinical benefit (win ratio, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.14, 2.00]; P =0.004). Conclusions: In patients with heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction, the presence of latent PVD uncovered by invasive hemodynamic exercise testing identifies patients who may worsen with atrial shunt therapy, whereas those without latent PVD may benefit.