Defining Optimal Outcomes in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have consistently and successfully improved mortality associated with end-stage heart failure. However, the definition of an "optimal" outcome post LVAD as a benchmark remains debatable. We retrospectively examined patients in the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) between 2012 and 2016 to assess 1 year post-LVAD "optimal outcome" defined as a patient who was alive on device or transplanted, New York Heart Association functional class I/II, had no more than 2 hospitalizations at year 1, and no major adverse event.

Factors Affecting Health Care Engagement of Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure: An Exploratory Survey Study.

The decision to receive a permanent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to treat end-stage heart failure (HF) involves understanding and weighing the risks and benefits of a highly invasive treatment. The goal of this study was to characterize end-stage HF patients across parameters that may affect their decision making and to inform the development of an LVAD decision support tool. A survey of 35 end-stage HF patients at an LVAD implant hospital was performed to characterize their information-seeking habits, interaction with physicians, technology use, numeracy, and concerns about their health.

Risk Assessment in Patients with a Left Ventricular Assist Device Across INTERMACS Profiles Using Bayesian Analysis.

Current risk stratification models to predict outcomes after a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) are limited in scope. We assessed the performance of Bayesian models to stratify post-LVAD mortality across various International Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS or IM) Profiles, device types, and implant strategies. We performed a retrospective analysis of 10,206 LVAD patients recorded in the IM registry from 2012 to 2016.

Retrospective Evaluation of Bayesian Risk Models of LVAD Mortality at a Single Implant Center.

Use of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can benefit patients with end stage heart failure, but only with careful patient selection. In this study, previously derived Bayesian network models for predicting LVAD patient mortality at 1, 3, and 12 months post-implant were evaluated on retrospective data from a single implant center. The models performed well at all three time points, with a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC AUC) of 78, 76, and 75%, respectively.

A Bayesian Model to Predict Survival After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Objectives: This study investigates the use of a Bayesian statistical models to predict survival at various time points in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

Background: LVADs are being increasingly used in patients with end-stage heart failure. Appropriate patient selection continues to be key in optimizing post-LVAD outcomes.

Low Accuracy of the HeartMate Risk Score for Predicting Mortality Using the INTERMACS Registry Data.

Selection is a key determinant of clinical outcomes after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement in patients with end-stage heart failure. The HeartMate II risk score (HMRS) has been proposed to facilitate risk stratification and patient selection for continuous flow pumps. This study retrospectively assessed the performance of HMRS in predicting 90 day and 1 year mortality in patients within the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS).