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Background: HIV cardiomyopathy (HIV-CM) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have benefits in heart failure (HF), but their role in the specialized population of HIV-CM is poorly understood. Methods: Patients in the TriNetX Network with HIV-CM and SGLT2i therapy were compared to a propensity matched control group of patients with HIV-CM without SGLT2i use. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included all-cause hospitalization, acute heart failure (HF), acute myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, cardiac arrest, new atrial fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia. Results: In the total of 2,606 included patients, SGLT2i therapy was associated with significant reduction in all-cause mortality (HR 0.475, 95%CI 0.337–0.671) and all-cause hospitalization (HR 0.725, 95%CI 0.646–0.814). No significant differences were observed rates of acute HF (HR 1.111, 95% CI 0.957–1.289), myocardial infarction (HR 0.828, 95% CI 0.555-1.235), stroke (HR 0.995, 95% CI 0.747–1.327), cardiac arrest (HR 0.564, 95% CI 0.308-1.036), atrial fibrillation (HR 0.954, 95% CI 0.798–1.140), or ventricular tachycardia (HR 1.225, 95% CI 0.898–1.672). Conclusions: SGLT2i use was associated with significant reductions in all-cause mortality and hospitalizations in patients with HIV-CM, but not cardiac specific outcomes.

Background: High serotonin from neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) can result in carcinoid heart disease (CaHD) with severe valve dysfunction, often requiring valve replacement surgery. Lutetium-177 (Lu-177), a targeted radioactive isotope therapy, is increasingly utilized in the treatment of NETs; however, there is limited data on its impact on bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) in CaHD. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on all patients with stage IV metastatic NET who underwent BHV replacement at three tertiary centers in the United States. Patients were stratified by Lu-177 therapy, administered after valve replacement. A propensity matched cohort of CaHD patients with BHV who did not received Lu-177 was curated including age, sex, and baseline left ventricular ejection fraction. Serial transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) following surgery were evaluated for progression of BHV degeneration; rise in mean gradient or increase in grade of prosthetic/periprosthetic regurgitation (grade increase of ≥1 out of 5), from first TTE following surgery (TTE1) to most recent TTE (TTE2). Analysis was performed at the level of individual valves, recognizing that some patients had more than one valve implanted. To account for changes in Lu-177 exposure over time, we constructed a time-varying Cox proportional hazards model. Accounting for non-independence of multiple valves within the same patient, a clustered Cox model was fitted using robust standard errors. Mortality was compared between patients exposed to Lu-177 therapy and those not exposed. Results: 184 patients were identified, mean age 60.4 ± 10.3 years, 53.3 % male. Of these, 16 patients had Lu-177 therapy, with 45 individual BHVs within this group. Patients in the control group had a total of 60 BHVs. Across a median of 2.09 years [0.77-5.01] between TTE1 and TTE2, BHVs exposed to Lu-177 therapy demonstrated an increased risk of BHV degeneration (HR=2.44, 95% CI 1.05–5.69, p=0.038), accounting for the time between TTE1 and administration of Lu-177 and the non-independence of multiple BHVs within the same patient. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two cohorts (p=0.440). Conclusions: BHVs in patients with CaHD exposed to Lu-177 therapy demonstrated an increased risk of degeneration. These findings suggest an association between Lu-177 treatment and accelerated prosthetic valvular deterioration, warranting further investigation and close monitoring in this patient population.

Introduction: Elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels (≥30 mg/dL or ≥50 mg/dL) have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including myocardial infarction and aortic stenosis. However, its association with all-cause mortality (ACM) in the setting of primary prevention remains unclear, with conflicting evidence regarding the cutoff associated with increased mortality risk. Objective: To assess the association between elevated Lp(a) and risk of ACM in the context of primary prevention. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included adult patients (≥18 years old) who had at least one measurement of Lp(a) at any of the three Mayo Clinic sites between 2007 and 2024, with no history of CVDs (i.e., coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack, or peripheral arterial disease) at the time of Lp(a) measurement. Lp(a) levels were categorized based on the following percentiles: ≤50th percentile (≤11.6 mg/dL), 50th to 80th percentiles (11.6–46.6 mg/dL), 80th to 90th percentiles (46.6–75 mg/dL), 90th to 95th percentiles (75–100 mg/dL), and >95th percentile (>100 mg/dL). Survival probabilities up to 15 years were compared across Lp(a) percentile categories using the Kaplan–Meier estimator and log-rank test. Additionally, univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to adjust for potential CV confounders and to quantify this association. Results: A total of 42,770 patients (median age: 53 years and 54% males) were included. We found no significant difference in survival probabilities between the Lp(a) categories based on the overall log-rank test (p=0.12; Figure 1A ). In the univariable analysis, only patients with Lp(a) >95th percentile (>100 mg/dL) had a statistically significant higher risk of ACM [hazard ratio (HR): 1.37; 95%CI: 1.07–1.74; p=0.012], compared to patients with Lp(a) <50th percentile (<11.6 mg/dL). Similarly, after adjusting for potential CV risk factors, only those with Lp(a) >95th percentile (>100 mg/dL) showed a significantly higher risk of ACM (adjusted HR: 1.37; 95%CI: 1.07–1.75; p=0.012, Figure 1B ). Conclusion: In the setting of primary prevention, only very high Lp(a) levels (≥100 mg/dL) were independently associated with increased risk of ACM, suggesting that higher Lp(a) thresholds may be more relevant for identifying individuals at increased risk of ACM than the conventional ≥50 mg/dL cutoff.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer therapy but may increase thrombotic risk through immune-mediated inflammation. While venous thromboembolism is a known complication in cancer, real-world data quantifying the incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) specifically in ICI-treated patients remain limited. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of cancer patients treated with ICIs at a tertiary institution from 2011 to 2022. Electronic health records were reviewed to identify cases of PE and DVT, along with baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes at one-year follow-up. Rates of PE and DVT were compared to those reported in the literature. Time-dependent Cox regression analyses were performed to assess associations of PE and DVT with one-year all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF), defined as a new diagnosis and/or HF exacerbation/hospitalization. Results: Among patients treated with ICI, the incidence of PE and DVT was 10.6% and 8.3%, respectively. These rates are higher than those reported in several prior studies, where PE incidence in patients treated with ICI typically ranged from 3% to 6% and DVT incidence from 3% to 5%. A history of valve disease, lung cancer, and treatment with pembrolizumab or durvalumab were more frequently observed among patients with PE, whereas pembrolizumab use was most prevalent among those who developed DVT. In time-dependent Cox regression analyses, PE was significantly associated with increased one-year all-cause mortality (HR: 2.62, 95% CI: 2.12–3.23, p < 0.001) and showed a trend toward increased HF (HR: 1.63, 95% CI: 0.96–2.75, p = 0.070). Similarly, DVT was also associated with significantly higher one-year all-cause mortality (HR: 2.63, 95% CI: 2.10–3.31, p < 0.001) and a significantly greater risk of HF (HR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.03–3.15, p = 0.040). Conclusion: In this real-world cohort study, PE and DVT were more frequent than previously recognized in ICI-treated cancer patients and were associated with significantly increased risks of all-cause mortality and heart failure. Conditions such as valve disease, lung cancer, and specific ICI therapies (e.g., pembrolizumab or durvalumab) may help identify patients at higher thrombotic risk. These findings underscore the importance of vigilant thrombotic risk assessment and may support the need for proactive monitoring or prevention strategies in high-risk patients receiving ICI therapy.

Background: A key determinant of prognosis in pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the right ventricle’s (RV) ability to adapt to increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Consequently, markers of RV-pulmonary artery (PA) coupling may improve prognostic prediction in PH. The ratio of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) to systolic PA pressure (sPAP) has been proposed as a surrogate for RV-PA coupling and a reliable prognostic marker, however, the existing data on the prognostic value of the ratio between RV longitudinal strain (RVLS) and sPAP as a surrogate for RV-PA coupling is scarce. Hypothesis: To evaluate the prognostic role of RVLS/RVSP in PH patients and to compare this novel marker with established markers of RV-PA coupling. Methods: This is a single-center study that included adult patients with PH classified as group I or IV, all of whom had undergone a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) within one year prior to the initiation of PH-specific treatment. Certified sonographers procured RV strain measurements using a specific software (Epsilon Imaging, Ann Arbor, MI). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the best cutoff for predicting all-cause mortality at one-year for RVLS/RVSP and TAPSE/RVSP. The association of RVLS/RVSP and TAPSE/RVSP with mortality at one year was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis (adjusted for REVEAL LITE 2.0 risk score). Results: A total of 160 patients were included with a median age of 67.2 (56.8, 73.7) years and 47 (29.2%) were male . ROC analysis revealed optimal cutoffs of 0.265 (AUC = 0.83) for RVLS/RVSP and 0.185 (AUC = 0.77) for TAPSE/RVSP to predict all-cause mortality at one year. One-year cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality was lower among patients with RVLS/RVSP ≥ 0.265 (0 % vs 13.7 %, p = 0.001) and patients with TAPSE/RVSP ≥ 0.185 (1.8 % vs 16.7 %, p = 0.001) (Figure 1) . In the multivariate analysis, RVLS/RVSP < 0.265 was associated with higher risk of mortality at one year (HR: 2.38, 95 % CI: 1.05 to 5.38, p = 0.036) while TAPSE/RVSP < 0.185 was not (HR: 2.01, 95 % CI: 0.93 to 4.31, p = 0.072). Conclusions: RVLS/ RVSP may be a valuable prognostic marker in PH patients and could outperform conventional TTE parameters as a surrogate for detecting RV-PA coupling.

Intracardiac metastases from gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare and challenging to diagnose. Lutetium (Lu)-177 DOTATATE therapy has demonstrated significant benefit in patients with metastatic NET; however, there are limited data regarding the direct impact on cardiac metastases. Patients with intracardiac metastasis from NET were evaluated. Patients were stratified by treatment with Lu-177 DOTATATE. Quantitative assessments of the progression of cardiac metastatic size (maximal diameter) and metabolic activity, as measured by maximal standardized uptake value (SUV max ), were performed on serial 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET imaging. In a cohort of 23 patients, 11 patients (47.8%) received Lu-177 DOTATATE therapy. Through a median of 2.2 years of follow-up, these patients showed some reduction in metastatic burden with a median reduction in maximal diameter of 1.0 mm (IQR: 0.0–3.0) and a median change in SUV max of −1.6 (IQR: −4.4 to 1.5). In contrast, patients who did not receive Lu-177 DOTATATE had some increase in maximal diameter of 0.5 mm (−2.0 to 2.0) and an increase in SUV max of 1.4 (−6.2 to 2.3). Overall, Lu-177 DOTATATE therapy may result in modest regression of intracardiac metastases as assessed by molecular imaging, whereas patients with cardiac metastases who did not receive therapy appeared to show progression.

Abstract Aims Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are a critical intervention for advanced heart failure (HF), serving as destination therapy or bridge to transplantation. Obesity and diabetes impact outcomes in patients with LVADs. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) demonstrate cardiovascular benefits; however, their role in patients with LVADs remains underexplored. We evaluated the association of GLP1-RA therapy with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with LVADs. Methods This retrospective cohort study used the TriNetX database, a research network database from 98 healthcare organizations. We queried for all adult LVAD recipients (≥18 years) and were stratified into GLP1-RA users and non-users. Propensity score matching (PSM) (1:1) balanced demographics, comorbidities, medication use and laboratory data. Outcomes included heart transplantation rates, heart failure hospitalizations, all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalizations and cardiovascular events. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results After PSM, we included a total of 1036 adult LVAD recipients (518 GLP1-RA users, 518 matched non-users) with a mean follow-up time of 311.6 ± 98.4 days for the GLP1-RA cohort and 304.0 ± 111.5 days for the non-GLP1-RAs cohort. Mean age was 56.7 ± 12.2 years in the GLP1-RA cohort and 58.0 ± 12.5 years in the non-GLP1-RA cohort. Females comprised 28.0% of both cohorts while White patients represented 52.1% of the GLP1-RA group and 53.1% of the non-GLP1-RA group. GLP1-RA users had higher heart transplantation rates [n = 98 (18.9%) vs. n = 44 (8.5%); aOR 2.514 (95% CI: 1.720–3.673)]. Acute HF events and all-cause hospitalizations were lower among GLP1-RA users compared with non-users [n = 288 (55.6%) vs. n = 357 (68.9%); aOR 0.565 (95% CI: 0.438–728) and n = 324 (62.5%) vs. n = 390 (75.3%); aOR 0.548 (95% CI: 0.420–0.716)]. No differences were observed when comparing the GLP1-RA cohort with the non-GLP1-RA cohort in regard to all-cause mortality [n = 32 (6.2%) vs. n = 44 (8.5%); aOR 0.709 (95% CI: 0.442–1.138)], stroke [n = 42 (8.1%) vs. n = 58 (11.2%); aOR 0.700 (95% CI: 0.461–1.062)] or cardiac arrest [n = 18 (3.5%) vs. n = 17 (3.3%); aOR 1.061 (95% CI: 0.541–2.082)]. Conclusions GLP1-RA therapy in patients with advanced HF and LVADs is potentially associated with improved heart transplantation rates while decreasing hospitalization and acute HF event rates.