Tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum level is an independent predictor of medium-term all-cause mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a suitable treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis and severely increased operative risk. There is need for a better preoperative risk assessment for TAVI candidates.

Aim: To determine whether Tumour necrosis factor-alfa (TNFα) is an independent predictor of survival 500 days after TAVI.

Computed tomography measured epicardial adipose tissue and psoas muscle attenuation: new biomarkers to predict major adverse cardiac events and mortality in patients with heart disease and critically ill patients. Part II: Psoas muscle area and density.

Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterised by loss of skeletal muscle mass, loss of muscle quality, and reduced muscle strength, resulting in low performance. Sarcopenia has been associated with increased mortality and complications after medical interventions. In daily clinical practice, sarcopenia is assessed by clinical assessment of muscle strength and performance tests and muscle mass quantification by dual-energy X-ray absorptio-metry (DXA) or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).

Computed tomography measured epicardial adipose tissue and psoas muscle attenuation: new biomarkers to predict major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and mortality in patients with heart disease and critically ill patients. Part I: Epicardial adipose tissue.

Over the last two decades, the potential role of epicardial adipocyte tissue (EAT) as a marker for major adverse cardiovascular events has been extensively studied. Unlike other visceral adipocyte tissues (VAT), EAT is not separated from the adjacent myocardium by a fascial layer and shares the same microcirculation with the myocardium. Adipocytokines, secreted by EAT, interact directly with the myocardium through paracrine and vasocrine pathways.

Clinical value of CT-derived simulations of transcatheter-aortic-valve-implantation in challenging anatomies the PRECISE-TAVI trial.

Background: Preprocedural computed tomography planning improves procedural safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, contemporary imaging modalities do not account for device-host interactions.

Aims: This study evaluates the value of preprocedural computer simulation with FEops HEARTguide on overall device success in patients with challenging anatomies undergoing TAVI with a contemporary self-expanding supra-annular transcatheter heart valve.

Automated mitral valve assessment for transcatheter mitral valve replacement planning.

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative for treating patients suffering from mitral valve disease. The number of TMVR procedures is expected to rise as devices currently in clinical trials obtain approval for commercialization. Automating the planning of such interventions becomes, therefore, more relevant in an attempt to decrease inter-subject discrepancies and time spent in patient assessment.

Adiponectin serum level is an independent and incremental predictor of all-cause mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Quantifiable biomarkers may be useful for a better risk and frailty assessment of patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Hypothesis: To determine if adiponectin serum concentration predicts all-cause mortality in patients undergoing TAVI.

Methods: 77 consecutive patients, undergoing TAVI, were analyzed.

Towards patient-specific prediction of conduction abnormalities induced by transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a combined mechanistic modelling and machine learning approach.

Aims: Post-procedure conduction abnormalities (CA) remain a common complication of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), highlighting the need for personalized prediction models. We used machine learning (ML), integrating statistical and mechanistic modelling to provide a patient-specific estimation of the probability of developing CA after TAVI.

Methods And Results: The cohort consisted of 151 patients with normal conduction and no pacemaker at baseline who underwent TAVI in nine European centres.

Computed tomography measured psoas muscle attenuation predicts mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine if computed tomography (CT) psoas muscular attenuation measurements may predict all-cause mortality in patients undergoing TAVI.

Methods: Ninety-four consecutive patients undergoing TAVI were analysed. The CT axial slice at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra was selected.

Final 3-year clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a supra-annular self-expanding repositionable valve in a real-world setting: Results from the multicenter FORWARD study.

Objectives: The Evolut R FORWARD study confirmed safety and effectivenesss of the Evolut R THV in routine clinical practice out to 1 year. Herein, we report the final 3-year clinical follow up of the FORWARD study.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a proven alternative to surgery in elderly patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

Effect of Statin Therapy on the Carboxypeptidase U (CPU, TAFIa, CPB2) System in Patients With Hyperlipidemia: A Proof-of-concept Observational Study.

Purpose: Statins are commonly used in patients with hypercholesterolemia to lower their cholesterol levels and to reduce their cardiovascular risk. There is also considerable evidence that statins possess a range of cholesterol-independent effects, including profibrinolytic properties. This pilot study aimed to explore the influence of statins on procarboxypeptidase U (proCPU) biology and to search for possible effects and associations that can be followed up in a larger study.

Patient-Specific Computer Simulation in TAVR With the Self-Expanding Evolut R Valve.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the added value and predictive power of the TAVIguide (Added Value of Patient-Specific Computer Simulation in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) software in clinical practice.

Background: Optimal outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may become more important as TAVR shifts toward low-risk patients. Patient-specific computer simulation is able to provide prediction of outcome after TAVR.

Automatic Detection of the Aortic Annular Plane and Coronary Ostia from Multidetector Computed Tomography.

Anatomic landmark detection is crucial during preoperative planning of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) to select the proper device size and assess the risk of complications. The detection is currently a time-consuming manual process influenced by the image quality and subject to operator variability. In this work, we propose a novel automatic method to detect the relevant aortic landmarks from MDCT images using deep learning techniques.

Differences in clinical valve size selection and valve size selection for patient-specific computer simulation in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): a retrospective multicenter analysis.

Valve size selection for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is currently based on cardiac CT-scan. At variance with patient-specific computer simulation, this does not allow the assessment of the valve-host interaction. We aimed to compare clinical valve size selection and valve size selection by an independent expert for computer simulation.

Uncertainties and challenges in surgical and transcatheter tricuspid valve therapy: a state-of-the-art expert review.

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a frequent and complex problem, commonly combined with left-sided heart disease, such as mitral regurgitation. Significant TR is associated with increased mortality if left untreated or recurrent after therapy. Tricuspid regurgitation was historically often disregarded and remained undertreated.

Aortic root sizing for transcatheter aortic valve implantation using a shape model parameterisation.

During a transcatheter aortic valve implantation, an axisymmetric implant is placed in an irregularly shaped aortic root. Implanting an incorrect size can cause complications such as leakage of blood alongside or through the implant. The aim of this study was to construct a method that determines the optimal size of the implant based on the three-dimensional shape of the aortic root.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Oncology Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Objectives: The authors sought to collect data on contemporary practice and outcome of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in oncology patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Background: Oncology patients with severe AS are often denied valve replacement. TAVR may be an emerging treatment option.

1-Year Outcomes With the Evolut R Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve: From the International FORWARD Study.

Objectives: This study sought to report the 1-year safety and efficacy outcomes in the FORWARD (CoreValve Evolut R FORWARD) study following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the next-generation Evolut R device (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) in routine clinical practice.

Background: The FORWARD study reported low incidences of mortality, disabling stroke, and significant paravalvular leak following TAVR in routine clinical practice at 30 days. Longer-term results in large patient populations with the Evolut R self-expanding, repositionable transcatheter heart valve (THV) are lacking.

Rapid Ventricular Pacing for Neurovascular Surgery: A Study on Cardiac and Cerebral Effects.

Background And Objective: Intraoperative rupture of a cerebral aneurysm during neurosurgery can be a devastating event that increases perioperative morbidity and mortality. Rapid ventricular pacing (RVP) is a technique to obtain flow arrest for short periods of time during dissection or rupture of the aneurysm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the neurological and cardiac effects of repetitive periods of RVP during cerebrovascular surgery.

Learning from failure in healthcare: Dynamic panel evidence of a physician shock effect.

Procedural failures of physicians or teams in interventional healthcare may positively or negatively predict subsequent patient outcomes. We identify this effect by applying (non)linear dynamic panel methods to data from the Belgian transcatheter aorta valve implantation registry containing information on the first 860 transcatheter aorta valve implantation procedures in Belgium. We find that a previous death of a patient positively and significantly predicts subsequent survival of the succeeding patient.

Patient-Specific Computer Simulation to Elucidate the Role of Contact Pressure in the Development of New Conduction Abnormalities After Catheter-Based Implantation of a Self-Expanding Aortic Valve.

Background: The extent to which pressure generated by the valve on the aortic root plays a role in the genesis of conduction abnormalities after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is unknown. This study elucidates the role of contact pressure and contact pressure area in the development of conduction abnormalities after TAVR using patient-specific computer simulations.

Methods And Results: Finite-element computer simulations were performed to simulate TAVR of 112 patients who had undergone TAVR with the self-expanding CoreValve/Evolut R valve.

Predictors of 1-Year Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients With and Without Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease.

Advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to identify predictors of 1-year mortality in patients after TAVI stratified by the presence or absence of advanced CKD (defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤30 ml/min/1.73 m or permanent renal replacement therapy).