Publications by authors named "David T Huang"

Background: There are limited data on clinical and arrhythmic outcomes after a first ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) in heart failure (HF) patients who receive a primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).

Objective: This study was designed to quantify the burden of and to identify risk factors for recurrent VTA in this population and to evaluate the risk of all-cause mortality associated with recurrent VTA.

Methods: The study comprised 789 patients who experienced VTA following primary prevention ICD implantation in 5 ICD trials (MADIT-II, MADIT-RISK, MADIT-CRT, MADIT-RIT, RAID).

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Introduction: The implantable cardioverter defibrillator reduces mortality among patients with heart failure (HF) due to ischemic heart disease. Clinical trial data have called into question the benefit of an ICD in patients with HF due to nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). We developed a risk stratification score for ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) among patients with NICM receiving a primary prevention ICD.

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Background: Clinical trials suggest that therapeutic-dose heparin may prevent critical illness and vascular complications due to COVID-19, but knowledge gaps exist regarding the efficacy of therapeutic heparin including its comparative effect relative to intermediate-dose anticoagulation.

Objectives: The authors performed 2 complementary secondary analyses of a completed randomized clinical trial: 1) a prespecified per-protocol analysis; and 2) an exploratory dose-based analysis to compare the effect of therapeutic-dose heparin with low- and intermediate-dose heparin.

Methods: Patients who received initial anticoagulation dosed consistently with randomization were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to automate the filling of case report forms (CRFs) for a COVID-19 trial across multiple locations in the U.S.
  • It utilized data from 27 hospitals and electronic health records to efficiently populate trial forms, successfully processing 499 out of 526 variables for 417 enrolled patients.
  • The researchers concluded that the automated system was effective and suggested improvements for future clinical trials.
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Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of sepsis associated with increased risk of death. Preclinical data and observational human studies suggest that activation of AMP-activated protein kinase, an ubiquitous master regulator of energy that can limit mitochondrial injury, with metformin may protect against sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI) and mortality. The Randomized Clinical Trial of the Safety and FeasibiLity of Metformin as a Treatment for sepsis-associated AKI (LiMiT AKI) aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of enteral metformin in patients with sepsis at risk of developing SA-AKI.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzes sepsis phenotypes using clinical and protein biomarker data from the ProCESS trial, finding two distinct phenotypes based on 20 variables.
  • Phenotype 1 (12% of patients) showed higher levels of inflammation and organ dysfunction, leading to significantly higher 60-day inpatient mortality compared to Phenotype 2 (88% of patients).
  • The effectiveness of early, goal-directed therapy (EGDT) versus usual care also varied by phenotype, with EGDT performing poorly in Phenotype 1 but similarly to usual care in Phenotype 2.
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Background: Sex-specific risk management may improve outcomes in congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS). We recently developed a prediction score for cardiac events (CEs) and life-threatening events (LTEs) in postadolescent women with LQTS. In the present study, we aimed to develop personalized risk estimates for the burden of CEs and LTEs in male adolescents with potassium channel-mediated LQTS.

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The human microbiome contributes to health and disease, but the oral microbiota is understudied relative to the gut microbiota. The salivary microbiota is easily accessible, underexplored, and may provide insight into response to infections. We sought to determine the composition, association with clinical features, and heterogeneity of the salivary microbiota in patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).

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Although there is consensus on the management of patients with Brugada Syndrome with high risk for sudden cardiac arrest, asymptomatic or intermediate-risk patients present clinical management challenges. This document explores the management opinions of experts throughout the world for patients with Brugada Syndrome who do not fit guideline recommendations. Four real-world clinical scenarios were presented with commentary from small expert groups for each case.

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Objectives: Sedation and analgesia for infants and children requiring mechanical ventilation in the PICU is uniquely challenging due to the wide spectrum of ages, developmental stages, and pathophysiological processes encountered. Studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of sedative and analgesic management in pediatric patients have used heterogeneous methodologies. The Sedation Consortium on Endpoints and Procedures for Treatment, Education, and Research (SCEPTER) IV hosted a series of multidisciplinary meetings to establish consensus statements for future clinical study design and implementation as a guide for investigators studying PICU sedation and analgesia.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study analyzed sex differences in life-threatening heart conditions (ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation) among patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) who had previously experienced these issues.
  • Results showed that women had a significantly lower risk of these events and death compared to men, as well as a reduced risk of recurrent VT/VF.
  • Additionally, racial disparities were noted, with White women showing a much lower risk compared to White men, while Black women had similar risks to Black men.
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  • Therapeutic-dose heparin may reduce the need for organ support in noncritically ill COVID-19 patients, but its effect on long-term symptoms and quality of life (QOL) is unclear.
  • The ACTIV-4a trial randomized 727 hospitalized COVID-19 patients to either therapeutic or prophylactic heparin, with a focus on their symptoms and QOL at a 90-day follow-up using the EQ-5D-5L survey.
  • Results indicated that about 50% experienced at least one symptom post-hospitalization, with therapeutic heparin linked to reduced physical impairment, but no significant differences in overall symptoms or QOL scores between the heparin treatment groups.
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  • The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of simvastatin in critically ill Covid-19 patients compared to a control group not receiving statins.
  • A total of 2684 patients were analyzed, showing a median of 11 organ support-free days in the simvastatin group versus 7 in the control group, with a high probability indicating simvastatin’s potential superiority.
  • However, the study was halted due to decreasing Covid-19 cases, and while simvastatin had some benefits, it also led to more reported serious adverse effects, such as elevated liver enzymes.
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Importance: The efficacy of vitamin C for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is uncertain.

Objective: To determine whether vitamin C improves outcomes for patients with COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Two prospectively harmonized randomized clinical trials enrolled critically ill patients receiving organ support in intensive care units (90 sites) and patients who were not critically ill (40 sites) between July 23, 2020, and July 15, 2022, on 4 continents.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Traditional randomized clinical trials (RCTs) aim to reduce uncertainty in medicine but come with various limitations that can affect their effectiveness.
  • - New trial designs are emerging that embrace the inherent uncertainty in medical decision-making and leverage contemporary health systems to incorporate research directly into patient care.
  • - The article discusses "living, breathing" trials, offering insights into their current status, future developments, and ongoing debates surrounding these innovative approaches.
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Introduction: The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is effective for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The benefit of the ICD in patients with advanced CKD, remains elusive. Moreover, the benefit of the ICD in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and HFrEF who are cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) recipients may be attenuated.

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  • The study focuses on the use of Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD) in advanced heart failure patients, particularly those with a history of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA), and aims to improve outcomes through a new intra-operative ablation protocol.
  • Researchers designed a randomized clinical trial involving 100 LVAD candidates, comparing those receiving intra-operative VTA ablation against those receiving standard medical management.
  • The trial will track various outcomes for an average of 18 months post-surgery, assessing VTA recurrence, adverse events, right heart function, healthcare utilization, and quality of life.
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Introduction: Observational studies have linked slower and faster net ultrafiltration (UF) rates during kidney replacement therapy (KRT) with mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and fluid overload. To inform the design of a larger randomised trial of patient-centered outcomes, we conduct a feasibility study to examine restrictive and liberal approaches to UF during continuous KRT (CKRT).

Methods And Analysis: This study is an investigator-initiated, unblinded, 2-arm, comparative-effectiveness, stepped-wedged, cluster randomised trial among 112 critically ill patients with AKI treated with CKRT in 10 intensive care units (ICUs) across 2 hospital systems.

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Background: The development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine-associated myocarditis has been reported. Most of the reported cases are mild, with quick clinical recovery and excellent short-term outcomes. Cases of COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis presenting with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) are rare.

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  • The guideline aims to create evidence-based recommendations for ICU clinicians treating adults with acute liver failure (ALF) or acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF).
  • A panel of 27 experts conducted systematic reviews and categorized their findings into Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) questions to guide clinical practice.
  • The resulting 28 recommendations include five strong recommendations and 21 conditional ones, but many are based on low-quality evidence, highlighting areas that need further research.
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  • Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) could lead to worse outcomes for COVID-19 patients, prompting a study to see if ACE inhibitors or ARBs could help.
  • In a clinical trial with 721 patients, participants were randomly assigned to receive either an ACE inhibitor, an ARB, or no RAS inhibitor to evaluate their effects on patient recovery.
  • Results showed no significant improvement in organ support-free days among the treatment groups compared to the control, leading to the discontinuation of enrollment due to safety concerns.
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Background: Treatment guidelines and U.S. Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for treatment of high-risk outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19 changed frequently as different SARS-CoV-2 variants emerged.

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Background: The benefit of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in elderly patients is controversial.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) and ICD shocks by age groups and to assess the competing risk for VTA and death without prior VTA.

Methods: The study included 5,170 primary prevention ICD recipients enrolled in 5 landmark ICD trials (MADIT [Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial] II, MADIT-Risk, MADIT-CRT [MADIT Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy], MADIT-RIT [MADIT Reduce Inappropriate Therapy], and RAID [Ranolazine in High-Risk Patients With Implanted Cardioverter-Defibrillator]).

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