There are multiple proposed mechanisms for the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We hypothesized that coronary microvascular dysfunction is common in these patients. In a prospective, observational study, patients undergoing cardiac catheterization with HFpEF [left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction ≥ 50% and with clinical HF] were compared with similar patients without HFpEF. Patients with ≥50% stenosis were excluded, and coronary flow reserve (CFR) and the index of microvascular resistance (IMR) were measured after adenosine administration using a guidewire, with CFR ≤ 2 and IMR ≥ 23 being abnormal. Baseline characteristics and CFR and IMR were compared in 30 HFpEF patients and 14 control subjects. Compared with control subjects, HFpEF patients were older (65.4 ± 9.6 vs. 55.1 ± 3.1 yr, P < 0.01), had higher numbers of comorbidities (4.4 ± 1.5 vs. 2.6 ± 1.9, P = 0.002), had higher median B-type natriuretic peptide [161 (interquartile range: 75-511) pg/dl vs. 37 (interquartile range: 18.5-111) pg/dl, P < 0.01], and had higher LV end-diastolic pressure (17.8 ± 4.2 vs. 8.4 ± 4.2, P < 0.01). HFpEF patients had lower CFR (2.55 ± 1.60 vs. 3.84 ± 1.89, P = 0.024) and higher IMR (26.7 ± 10.3 vs. 19.7 ± 9.7 units, P = 0.037) than control subjects. Most (71.4%) control subjects had normal coronary physiology, whereas 36.7% of HFpEF patients had both abnormal CFR and IMR and another 36.7% had either abnormal CFR or IMR. In conclusion, this is the first study that has reported invasively determined CFR and IMR in HFpEF patients. We demonstrated the presence of four distinct coronary physiology groups in HFpEF patients. Investigation into the potential mechanisms for these findings is needed. NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this prospective observational study of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), we found that patients with HFpEF had more abnormalities of coronary flow and resistance than asymptomatic control patients, indicating that coronary microvascular dysfunction may play a role in the HFpEF disease process.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy improves the hemodynamics of advanced heart failure patients. However, it is unknown whether hemodynamic optimization improves clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hemodynamic optimization reduces hospital readmission rate in LVAD patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: LVAD patients undergoing an invasive hemodynamic ramp test were prospectively enrolled and followed for 1 year. LVAD speed was optimized using a ramp test, targeting the following goals: central venous pressure <12 mm Hg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure <18 mm Hg, and cardiac index >2.2 L/(min•m 2). The frequency and cause of hospital readmissions were compared between patients who achieved (optimized group) or did not achieve (nonoptimized group) these goals. Eighty-eight outpatients (median 61 years old, 53 male) underwent ramp testing 236 days after LVAD implantation, and 54 (61%) had optimized hemodynamics after LVAD speed adjustment. One-year survival after the ramp study was comparable in both groups (89% versus 88%). The total hospital readmission rate was lower in the optimized group compared with the nonoptimized group (1.15 versus 2.86 events/y, P<0.001). This result was predominantly because of a reduction in the heart failure readmission rate in the optimized group (0.08 versus 0.71 events/y, P=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: LVAD patients, in whom hemodynamics were optimized, had a significantly lower rate of hospital readmissions, primarily because of fewer heart failure admissions. These findings highlight the importance of achieving hemodynamic optimization in LVAD patients.

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Hence, we assessed the accuracy of estimated resting VȮ 2 compared with measured VȮ 2 obtained by the gold-standard analysis of timed collections of exhaled air by the method of Douglas in a large population of consecutive adult patients who underwent right-heart cardiac catheterization for clinical indications at our hospital. Clinical Perspective on p 210Background-The Fick principle (cardiac output = oxygen uptake (VȮ 2 )/systemic arterio-venous oxygen difference) is used to determine cardiac output in numerous clinical situations. However, estimated rather than measured VȮ 2 is commonly used because of complexities of the measurement, though the accuracy of estimation remains uncertain in contemporary clinical practice. Methods and Results-From 1996 to 2005, resting VȮ 2 was measured via the Douglas bag technique in adult patients undergoing right heart catheterization. Resting VȮ 2 was estimated by each of 3 published formulae. Agreement between measured and estimated VȮ 2 was assessed overall, and across strata of body mass index, sex, and age. The study included 535 patients, with mean age 55 yrs, mean body mass index 28.4 kg/m 2 ; 53% women; 64% non-white. Mean (±standard deviation) measured VȮ 2 was 241 ± 57 ml/min. Measured VȮ 2 differed significantly from values derived from all 3 formulae, with median (interquartile range) absolute differences of 28.4 (13.1, 50.2) ml/min, 37.7 (19.4, 63.3) ml/min, and 31.7 (14.4, 54.5) ml/min, for the formulae of Dehmer, LaFarge, and Bergstra, respectively (P<0.0001 for each). The measured and estimated values differed by >25% in 17% to 25% of patients depending on the formula used. Median absolute differences were greater in severely obese patients (body mass index > 40 kg/m 2 ), but were not affected by sex or age. Conclusions-Estimates

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a common complication seen in patients supported with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and is related to increased inflammation and angiogenesis. Omega-3 is an unsaturated fatty acid that possesses anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties. This study aims to assess the prophylactic efficacy of treatment with omega-3 on the incidence of GIB in LVAD patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among consecutive 166 LVAD patients enrolled in this analysis, 30 patients (49 years old and 26 male) received 4 mg/d of omega-3 therapy for 310±87 days and 136 patients in the control group (58 years old and 98 male) were observed for 302±102 days. One-year GIB-free rate was significantly higher in the omega-3 group as compared with the control group (97% versus 73%; P=0.02). Omega-3 therapy was associated with the occurrence of GIB in both the univariate (hazard ratio, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02–0.91; P=0.040) and multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratio analyses (hazard ratio, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02–0.98; P=0.047). The frequency of GIB was significantly lower in the omega-3 group (0.08±0.42 versus 0.37±0.93 events/y; P=0.01), accompanied by significantly lower blood product transfusion and shorter days in the hospital. The frequency of GIB remained lower among the omega-3 group after matching for patient background characteristics (96% versus 73%, P=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: LVAD patients treated with omega-3 had a significant increase in freedom from GIB. A randomized controlled study is warranted to evaluate the use of omega-3 in LVAD patients.

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) implemented a new donor heart allocation policy on October 18, 2018.Studies evaluating the impact of this new policy on posttransplant survival contain discrepant findings. 1 Five reports found decreased posttransplant survival under the new policy, 2-6 and two reports found no difference in posttransplant survival. 7,8 Notably, the studies with lower estimates of posttransplant survival in the post-policy era have significantly fewer follow-up observations of post-policy recipients compared with the studies finding unchanged survival. One proposed explanation for the conflicting results is informative censoring bias. 9 A fundamental assumption of the Kaplan-Meier survival estimator is that censoring is statistically independent of

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Aim: Hemocompatibility-related adverse events (HRAE) are a major cause of readmissions in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). The impact of aortic insufficiency (AI) on HRAE remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate the impact of AI on HRAE. Methods and Results: Patients who underwent LVAD implantation between August 2014 and July 2017 and had echocardiograms 3 months post-LVAD implantation were enrolled. AI severity was assessed by measuring the systolic/diastolic ratio of flow and the rate of diastolic flow acceleration using Doppler echocardiography of the outflow cannula. Regurgitation fraction was derived from these parameters. Significant AI was defined as regurgitation fraction > 30%. Among 105 patients (median age, 56 years; 76% male), 36 patients (34%) had significant AI. Baseline characteristics were statistically not significantly different between those with and without significant AI except for higher rates of ischemic etiology and atrial fibrillation in the significant AI group (P < 0.05 for both). One-year survival free from HRAE was 44% in patients with AI compared to 67% in patients without significant AI (P = 0.018). The average hemocompatibility score, which defines the net burden of HRAE, was higher in the AI group (1.72 vs 0.64; P = 0.009), due mostly to higher tier I (mild HRAE; P = 0.034) and tier IIIB scores (severe HRAE; P = 0.011). Conclusion: Significant AI, as assessed by Doppler echocardiographic parameters, was associated with HRAE during LVAD support.