United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) updated the heart transplant allocation system in 2018 in an effort to improve waitlist times and better prioritize the sickest candidates. The new allocation system added new statuses 1 through 3 at the top of the waitlist in place of former status 1A, with temporary mechanical support (MCS) including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), and other temporary ventricular and biventricular support associated with the highest two statuses. 1 Other common listing strategies such as high-dose inpatient inotrope use and durable ventricular assist devices (LVAD) became statuses 3 and 4, respectively. Early experiences with the impact of the new allocation system identified an increase in temporary MCS (predominantly IABP) and variable effects on post-transplant survival. [2][3][4][5][6] However, there are limited data about the effects of the new allocation system on waitlist outcomes, 3,6 and specifically, the effects on waitlist outcomes stratified by various transplant listing strategies. Ongoing updates to the UNOS dataset allow for additional follow-up time and analyses of waitlist outcomes based on listing strategy. These

ObjectivesExamine hemodynamic and clinical correlates of use of an intra‐aortic balloon pump catheter in a single center.BackgroundThe intra‐aortic balloon pump catheter (IABC) has been used for 50 years but the clinical benefit is still debated. We reviewed 76 patients with right heart catheter measurements prior to IABC to assess response and outcomes.MethodsAll patients who received IABC with a 50cc balloon for at least 1 hour were included in this retrospective chart review study. Demographics, comorbidities, lab values, and hemodynamic parameters were recorded at baseline and 15 h postinsertion.ResultsSeventy‐six patients had paired measurements of cardiac output. 60 patients had a higher cardiac output with IABC treatment (responder group) and 16 did not (nonresponders). In the 60 patients in the responder group, cardiac output and index significantly increased from baseline 3.6 ± 1.3 L/min to 5.2 ± 1.8 L/min, and 1.8 ± 0.5 L/min/m2 to 2.6 ± 0.8 L/min/m2 respectively following IABC placement (P < 0.0001 for both comparisons). Various hemodynamic variables were examined and the best predictor of response to IABC was a cardiac power index of 0.3 or less. Regardless of response, in hospital survival was similar between groups.ConclusionsThe majority of patients improve their cardiac output with IABC but survival was unchanged. Further work into the pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock is needed.

IABC using a larger volume 50cc balloon appears effective as a first line percutaneous MCS strategy in a large fraction of critically ill cardiac patients with few adverse events. A large scale registry or randomized clinical trial utilizing the larger volume IAB is needed to validate our results. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background: Methamphetamines are a common cause of systolic heart failure (HF). There are limited data on the prognosis associated with hospitalizations for decompensated HF in the setting of methamphetamine use. We aimed to evaluate patient characteristics and outcomes among patients admitted with decompensated HF who had positive drug screens for amphetamines as well as to determine whether any parameters from transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) can predict outcomes in this population. Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients admitted to the Loma Linda Medical Center who had an active hospital problem of acute on chronic systolic (or systolic and diastolic) HF from 2013 to 2018. Electronic medical records were mined for relevant patient data. Methamphetamine-associated heart failure (MethHF) group was defined as those with an admission urine drug screen (UDS) that was positive for methamphetamines, whereas non-MethHF was defined by patients with negative methamphetamine on UDS or UDS was not done on physician's discretion. The primary outcomes of the study were 30-day composite outcome (defined as combined all-cause readmission and all-cause mortality), 365-day allcause mortality, and length of stay (LOS). Propensity score weighting for these outcomes was performed using demographics, laboratory and clinical variables, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as covariates. TTE parameters from presentation were also evaluated to determine if any had prognostic implications.Results: A total of 1,655 patients were included (101 patients with positive urine methamphetamine and 1,554 patients without). Patients with MethHF were younger, more likely to be male, had fewer comorbidities, had lower LVEF, and were more likely to have right ven-tricular systolic dysfunction. In propensity-weighted analyses, there were no significant differences in LOS, 30-day composite outcome, or 365-day mortality between the MethHF and non-MethHF group in (P > 0.05 for all). Presence of at least moderate tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) was the only TTE predictor of 30-day composite outcome (odds ratio (OR) = 4.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5 -14.50, P < 0.01) and 365-day mortality (OR = 4.67, 95% CI: 1.5 -14.50, P < 0.01) in the MethHF group. Conclusion:Patients with MethHF admitted for decompensated HF had similar outcomes compared to non-MethHF after adjusting for baseline characteristics. TR is the only TTE value to predict outcomes in this population.

Background: Current heart failure guidelines recommend transition of intravenous (IV) diuretics to oral > 24 h prior to hospital discharge. The aim of this study was to determine whether transition to oral diuretics prior to discharge in patients hospitalized with decompensated systolic heart failure (SHF) was associated with improved 30-day events.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study, in which adults admitted to the Loma Linda Medical Center for 3 -14 days with a primary discharge diagnosis of acute on chronic SHF were included. Mortality data were obtained from the National Death Index, while readmission only to our facility was included. The t-test and Chisquare test were used for analyses.Results: A total of 314 patients were studied. Patients who were managed with guideline-recommended trial of oral diuretics, and patients who continued to receive IV diuretics on the last full hospital day were overall similar in baseline characteristics. Patients who received oral diuretics on the day prior to discharge had longer length of stay, less weight loss, were discharged on lower diuretic doses (all P < 0.05), and had similar outcomes of 30-day readmission and 30-day hospitalization-free survival. Conclusions:The transition to oral diuretics prior to discharge in patients with decompensated SHF was not associated with improved 30-day outcomes. These results require validation in prospective trials but suggest that guideline recommendations regarding transitioning to oral diuretics prior to discharge may deserve re-evaluation.