The Safety and Late Hemodynamics of Donor Cardiac Undersizing in Heart Transplantation.

Background: Predicted heart mass ratio (PHMr) has become the standard donor-recipient size matching method in heart transplantation. While utilization of small PHMr hearts is associated with increased one-year mortality, the underlying mechanisms and time horizon of mortality remain uncertain.

Methods: A single institution analysis of isolated heart transplant recipients (01/2019-7/2022) was performed (N=334).

Early Assessment of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Risk Among Recipients of Hepatitis C Virus-infected Donors in the Current Era.

Background: Transplantation of hearts from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive donors has increased substantially in recent years following development of highly effective direct-acting antiviral therapies for treatment and cure of HCV. Although historical data from the pre-direct-acting antiviral era demonstrated an association between HCV-positive donors and accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) in recipients, the relationship between the use of HCV nucleic acid test-positive (NAT+) donors and the development of CAV in the direct-acting antiviral era remains unclear.

Methods And Results: We performed a retrospective, single-center observational study comparing coronary angiographic CAV outcomes during the first year after transplant in 84 heart transplant recipients of HCV NAT+ donors and 231 recipients of HCV NAT- donors.

The Effect of Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Hospitalized Patients as Compared With Outpatients With HFrEF: An Analysis of GALACTIC-HF.

Background: In the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC-HF) trial, omecamtiv mecarbil, compared with placebo, reduced the risk of worsening heart failure (HF) events, or cardiovascular death in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction. The primary aim of this prespecified analysis was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of omecamtiv mecarbil by randomization setting, that is, whether participants were enrolled as outpatients or inpatients.

Methods And Results: Patients were randomized either during a HF hospitalization or as an outpatient, within one year of a worsening HF event (hospitalization or emergency department visit).

Prioritizing heart transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly impacted the healthcare landscape in the United States in a variety of ways including a nation-wide reduction in operative volume. The impact of COVID-19 on the availability of donor organs and the impact on solid organ transplant remains unclear. We examine the impact of COVID-19 on a single, large-volume heart transplant program.

The prognostic value of the relationship between right atrial and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in diverse cardiovascular conditions.

Background: Physical examination of jugular venous pressure is used to estimate right atrial (RA) pressure and infer left-sided filling pressure to assist volume management. Previous studies in advanced heart failure patients showed about 75% concordance between RA and pulmonary capillary wedge (PCW) pressures. We sought to determine the relationship between mean RA and mean PCW pressure and assess the clinical significance in a broad population of patients undergoing invasive right heart catheterization (RHC).