Age-Specific Outcomes of Bioprosthetic vs. Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement: Balancing Reoperation Risk with Anticoagulation Burden.

Background: The choice of prosthesis for aortic valve replacement (AVR) remains challenging. The risk of anticoagulation complications vs. the risk of aortic valve reintervention should be weighed.

Scores predicting atrial fibrillation after mitral valve surgery: Do we need a more specific score?

Background: Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery (POAF) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Several scores were used to predict POAF, with variable results. Thus, this study assessed the performance of several scoring systems to predict POAF after mitral valve surgery.

Real-world Experience in Managing Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Renal Impairment; Rivaroxaban versus Warfarin.

Background: The use of rivaroxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses the risk of over- or underdosing. We aimed to compare rivaroxaban and warfarin in AF patients with moderate and severe renal impairment.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between 2015 and 2016 to compare the use of warfarin ( = 164) and rivaroxaban ( = 149) in patients with AF and moderate or severe CKD.

Management of Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation During Surgical Ventricular Restoration for Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: We studied the effect of tricuspid valve (TV) surgery combined with surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) on operative outcomes, rehospitalization, recurrent tricuspid regurgitation, and survival of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Additionally, surgery was compared to conservative management in patients with mild or moderate tricuspid regurgitation. To the best of our knowledge, the advantage of combining TV surgery with SVR in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy had not been investigated before.

Long-Term Effects of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation following Mitral Valve Surgery.

Background: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (PoAF) is one of the most frequent yet serious complications following cardiac surgery. Long-term consequences have not been thoroughly investigated, and studies have included different cardiac operations. The objectives were to report the incidence and short- and long-term outcomes in patients with PoAF after mitral valve surgery.

Postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with congenital heart disease; the effect of place of initiation.

Background: Postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pediatric patients can be affected by the place of initiation, either in the operating room (OR) or the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU). This study aimed to characterize and compare patients who had postcardiotomy ECMO initiation in the OR or PCICU and evaluate risk factors for hospital mortality.

Methods: This retrospective study included 103 patients who required postcardiotomy ECMO support after the repair of congenital cardiac lesions from 2010 to 2022.

Five-year outcomes of tricuspid valve repair versus replacement; a propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Tricuspid valve repair (TVr) is the recommended approach for managing tricuspid regurgitation; however, there is a concern about the long-term durability of the repair. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of TVr versus tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) in a matched cohort of patients.

Methods: This study included 1161 patients who underwent tricuspid valve (TV) surgery from 2009 to 2020.

Concomitant intra-aortic balloon pump and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock.

We aimed to compare the outcomes of ECMO with and without IABP for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock. The study included 103 patients who needed ECMO for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock. Patients were grouped according to the use of IABP into ECMO without IABP ( = 43) and ECMO with IABP ( = 60).

Better Survival in Morbidly Obese Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Treated with Non-vitamin K-dependent Oral Anticoagulants.

Background: The efficacy and safety of non-vitamin K-dependent anticoagulants (NOAC) are not well investigated in the obese population, and fixed dosing could lead to under-anticoagulation. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of obesity on anticoagulation outcomes and survival in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Methods: We enrolled 755 patients who required anticoagulation for AF from 2015 to 2016.

Sepsis in postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock patients supported with veno- arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Background: Sepsis could affect the outcomes of patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Our objectives were to characterize sepsis patients with ECMO support for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock and assess its predictors and effect on patients' outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study included 103 patients with ECMO for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock from 2009 to 2020.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock after valve replacement.

Background: Limited data evaluated the outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with prosthetic valves. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of ECMO support for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock in patients with mechanical versus bioprosthetic valves.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with ECMO support for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock after valve replacement.

Central versus Peripheral Postcardiotomy Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

Background: It is unclear whether peripheral arterial cannulation is superior to central arterial cannulation for postcardiotomy veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies on postcardiotomy VA-ECMO for the present individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis. Analysis was performed according to the intention-to-treat principle.

Time in therapeutic range for virtual anticoagulation clinic versus in-person clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic: a crossover study.

Background: COVID-19 infection affects the quality of the medical services globally. The pandemic required changes to medical services in several institutions. We established a virtual clinic for anticoagulation management during the pandemic using the Whatsapp application.

Comparison of Outcomes After Transcatheter Versus Surgical Repeat Mitral Valve Replacement.

Introduction: Repeat transcatheter mitral valve replacement (rTMVR) has emerged as a new option for the management of high-risk patients unsuitable for repeat surgical mitral valve replacement (rSMVR). The aim of this study was to compare hospital outcomes, survival, and reoperations after rTMVR versus surgical mitral valve replacement.

Methods: We compared patients who underwent rTMVR (n=22) from 2017 to 2019 (Group 1) to patients who underwent rSMVR (n=98) with or without tricuspid valve surgery from 2009 to 2019 (Group 2).

HAS-BLED Score for Prediction of Bleeding and Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Introduction: Bleeding after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with increased mortality. The predictive value of the HAS-BLED score in TAVR patients is still to be evaluated. We assessed the value of the HAS-BLED score to predict in-hospital bleeding and mortality after TAVR and the impact of diferent renal impairment definitions on the predictive value of the score system.

Surgical vs Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With a Low Ejection Fraction.

Currently, there is no preference for surgical (SAVR) vs transcatheter (TAVR) aortic valve replacement in patients with low ejection fraction (EF). The present study retrospectively compared the outcomes of SAVR vs TAVR in patients with EF ≤40% (70 SAVR and 117 TAVR patients). Study outcomes were survival and the composite endpoint of stroke, aortic valve reintervention, and heart failure readmission.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock: The impact of cannulation strategy on survival.

Background: The optimal venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) cannulation strategy in patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock is still debatable. Studies evaluating the effect of cannulation strategy on long-term survival are scarce.

Objectives: We investigated the impact of central versus peripheral cannulation strategy for ECMO insertion on hospital outcomes and survival in postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock patients.

Risk of Bleeding after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: impact of Preoperative Antithrombotic Regimens.

Introduction: Bleeding after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has a negative impact on the outcome of the procedure. Risk factors for bleeding vary widely in the literature, and the impact of preoperative antithrombotic agents has not been fully established. The objectives of our study were to assess bleeding after TAVR as defined by the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2), identify its risk factors, and correlate with antithrombotic treatment in addition to its effect on procedural mortality.

Outcomes after Transcatheter Mitral Valve Edge to Edge Repair; a Comparison of Two Pathologies.

Background: The clinical use of transcatheter mitral valve repairis growing. We aimed to compare the clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after transcatheter mitral valve repair using the edge-to-edge technique in patients with functional and degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). Furthermore, we correlated the clinical and echocardiographic measurements.

The development and validation of a multivariable model to predict the bleeding risk score for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation using direct oral anticoagulants in the Arab population.

Background: Frequently used models, such as the HAS-BLED, ATRIA, ORBIT, and GARFIELD-AF evaluate the risk of bleeding when using an anticoagulant, for example warfarin, in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Limited studies are available reporting a model with a good discriminative ability to predict the bleeding risk score when using direct oral anticoagulants.

Methods: Patient data were collected from King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Fahad Cardiac Center, and Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Riyadh, from outpatients, inpatients, or primary care clinics.

Rivaroxaban versus warfarin for the management of left ventricle thrombus.

Background: Rivaroxaban has been recently introduced for the management of non-valvular intra-cardiac thrombosis with variable results. We aimed to compare the results of the off-label use of rivaroxaban versus warfarin in the management of patients with left ventricle (LV) thrombus. This research is a retrospective study conducted on 63 patients who had LV thrombus from January to December 2016.

Residual versus recurrent mitral regurgitation after transcatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge repair.

Background: The number of MtraClip procedures is increasing, and consequently, the number of patients with residual or recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR). We aimed to characterize patients who had residual versus recurrent MR after MitraClip and report the outcomes of different treatment strategies.

Methods: From 2012 to 2020, 167 patients had MitraClip.