Thiele, Holger

Abstract Aims The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) Classification provides risk stratification of patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS). This sub-study of the ECLS-SHOCK trial investigates the prognostic impact of SCAI stages in AMI-CS and the influence of SCAI stages on the effect of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) therapy in AMI-CS patients. Methods Patients with AMI-CS enrolled in the multicentre, randomized ECLS-SHOCK trial were included. The outcomes, treatment effect and safety of ECLS were stratified according to SCAI stage at admission using a post-hoc classification. Results From a total of 417 patients enrolled in the ECLS-SHOCK trial between June 2019 and November 2022, 51.6% (n = 215), 13.4% (n = 56) and 35.0% (n = 146) presented in SCAI Stages C, D and E, respectively. SCAI stages were associated with the risk of 30 day all-cause mortality (C vs. D vs. E: 32.6% vs. 67.9% vs. 64.4%, P < 0.001), with rates of renal replacement therapy at 30 days (C vs. D vs. E: 7.0% vs. 19.6% vs. 13.7%, P = 0.03) and with poor neurological outcomes (C vs. D vs. E: 17.2% vs. 44.4% vs. 36.5%, P < 0.001). No interaction was observed between SCAI stage and the treatment effect of ELCS on 30 day all-cause mortality (ELCS vs. control SCAI C: 32.7% vs. 32.4%; SCAI D: 68.4% vs. 66.7%; SCAI E: 59.7% vs. 68.4%, P for interaction = 0.65). Conclusions In AMI-CS patients included in the ECLS-SHOCK trial, SCAI stages at admission were predictive for mortality and for the incidence of safety events. The efficacy of ECLS treatment was not affected by SCAI stage.

Abstract Worldwide, valvular heart disease (VHD) is a common cause of hospitalization for acute heart failure. In acute heart failure caused by VHD, symptoms result from rapid haemodynamic changes and subsequent decline in cardiac function, and if left untreated, leads to acute decompensation and cardiogenic shock. Current evidence remains scarce and recommendations regarding the management of acute heart failure caused by VHD are lacking in most recent international guidelines. Herein, we review the management of acute heart failure caused by VHD with a focus on transcatheter therapies and describe currently available evidence based on a systematic literature search on the following valve pathologies: (i) aortic stenosis, (ii) aortic regurgitation, (iii) mitral regurgitation, and (iv) mitral stenosis. Articles reporting outcomes following urgent or emergent valve intervention in the setting of cardiogenic shock or acute heart failure were considered. After screening a total of 2234 articles, 76 published between 1994 and 2023 were included in subsequent analysis. Based on available evidence, proposed treatment algorithms to guide optimal management of acute heart failure caused by VHD were created. As the number of patients presenting with acute heart failure caused by VHD continues to rise and outcomes following transcatheter valve interventions continue to improve, it is inevitable that minimally invasive options will play an increasingly important role in the acute setting, especially given these patients are at an increased operative risk. This review aims to present an organized approach to the complex management and interventional treatment of patients with acute heart failure caused by VHD.

AbstractBackgroundThe clinical relevance of cardiac troponin (cTn) elevation in takotsubo syndrome (TTS) remains uncertain. The present study sought to investigate the role of cardiac troponin (cTn) elevations in mortality prediction of patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS).MethodsPatients enrolled in the International Takotsubo (InterTAK) Registry from January 2011 to February 2020 with available data on peak cTn levels were included in the analysis. Peak cTn levels during the index hospitalization were used to define clinically relevant myocardial injury. The threshold at which clinically relevant myocardial injury drives mortality at 1 year was identified using restricted cubic spline analysis.ResultsOut of 2′938 patients, 222 (7.6%) patients died during 1‐year follow‐up. A more than 28.8‐fold increase of cTn above the upper reference limit was identified as threshold for clinically relevant myocardial injury. The presence of clinically relevant myocardial injury was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality at 5 years (adjusted HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.18–2.12, p =.002). Clinically relevant myocardial injury was related to an increased 5‐year mortality risk in patients with apical TTS (adjusted HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.21–2.03, p =.001), in presence of physical stressors (adjusted HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.22–2.11, p =.001), and in absence of emotional stressors (adjusted HR 1.49, 95% CI, 1.17–1.89, p =.001).ConclusionThis study for the first time determined a troponin threshold for the identification of TTS patients at excess risk of mortality. These findings advance risk stratification in TTS and assist in identifying patients in need for close monitoring and follow‐up.