Prognostic value of repeated peak oxygen uptake measurements in patients with a left ventricular assist device.

Background: Peak oxygen uptake (pVO) predicts mortality in patients with heart failure on left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. This follow-up of the PRO-VAD study examines the prognostic value of repeated pVO measurements during long-term follow-up.

Methods: This multicenter follow-up study included patients from the original PRO-VAD cohort who performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) twice.

Long-term evolution of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and exercise capacity in 132 left ventricular assist device recipients.

Objectives: N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a widely used biomarker in clinical practice in the context of heart failure. Little is known about the long-term evolution of NT-proBNP levels in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. Besides this, the potential correlation of NT-proBNP with exercise capacity on the long term after LVAD implantation has not been previously studied.

Prognostic Value of Peak Oxygen Uptake in Patients Supported With Left Ventricular Assist Devices (PRO-VAD).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine whether peak oxygen uptake (pVO) and other cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET)-derived variables could predict intermediate-term mortality in stable continuous flow LVAD recipients.

Background: pVO is a cornerstone in the selection of patients for heart transplantation, but the prognostic power of pVO obtained in patients treated with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is unknown.

Methods: We collected data for pVO and outcomes in adult LVAD recipients in a retrospective, multicenter study and evaluated cutoff values for pVO including: 1) values above or below medians; 2) grouping patients in tertiles; and 3) pVO ≤14 ml/kg/min if the patient was not treated with beta-blockers (BB) or pVO ≤12 ml/kg/min if the patient was taking BB therapy.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device-Case Series and Review of Literature.

For patients with advanced heart failure, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can serve as a bridge to heart transplantation. Patients with class II obesity are eligible for implantation of LVAD but do not meet criteria for cardiac transplant listing. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is proposed as weight losing modality in order to reach the New York Heart Association (NYHA) criteria for listing.

Weight evolution after implantation of left ventricular assist device: Do we need to interfere?

Objectives: Weight change after left ventricular assist device implantation may influence outcomes and can affect transplant candidacy. We questioned if there is a systematic weight change after left ventricular assist device implantation and examined the evolution in functional capacity.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 84 patients who received a left ventricular assist device in Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven between 2008 and 2016 was performed.

Exercise capacity in ventricular assist device patients: clinical relevance of pump speed and power.

Objectives: Patients with ventricular assist device (VAD) show a limited exercise capacity. The aim of this work is to investigate whether VAD speed increase has an effect on exercise performance in the upright position.

Methods: Fourteen patients implanted with a HeartMate II underwent two cardiopulmonary maximal exercise tests on an upright bicycle ergometer the same day.