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Archive for the ‘Medical Devices R&D and Inventions’ Category

Tommy King Memorial Cardiovascular Symposium

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Saturday CEUs in Boston, May 20, 2017

St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

Boston, MA

May 20

7:30am – 3pm

PROGRAM SCHEDULE & SESSIONS

07:30am | Registration & Continental Breakfast

08:00am | Hemodynamics; Faisal Khan, MD, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

09:00am | Radiation Protection; Satish Nair, PhD, F.X. Masse Associates

10:00am | Break & Exhibits

10:15am | Structural Heart – TAVR Updates and Watchman

Joseph Carrozza, MD, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

11:15am | Road to the Cath Lab — Triggers for STEMI Activation 

Lawrence Garcia, MD, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

12:15pm | Lunch

01:00pm | HF Program including Cardiomems

Lana Tsao, MD & Jaclyn Mayer, NP, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

02:00pm | Cath Lab Pharmacology

Mirembe Reed, Pharm.D, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

Register now »

SOURCE

From: <acvp@getresponse.com> on behalf of “Kurt, ACVP” <kurt@acp-online.org>

Reply-To: <kurt@acp-online.org>

Date: Monday, April 24, 2017 at 2:26 PM

To: Aviva Lev-Ari <AvivaLev-Ari@alum.berkeley.edu>

Subject: cardiovascular symposium in Boston, May 20

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ACC 2017, 3/30/2017 – Poor Outcomes for Bioresorbable Stents in Small Coronary Arteries

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

WATCH VIDEO:

Bioresorbable Stent Comparable to Xience at Two Years, With Concerns

 

Stephen Ellis, M.D., professor of medicine and director of interventional cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, discusses the two year outcomes of the ABSORB III trial of Absorb vs. Xience. The late-breaking trial was presented at ACC 2017. Read the article on the ABSORB III results.  Watch a VIDEO with Gregg Stone, M.D., “Poor Outcomes for Bioresorbable Stents in Small Coronary Arteries.”

 

SOURCE

https://www.dicardiology.com/videos/video-bioresorbable-stent-comparable-xience-two-years-concerns

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Sperm Analysis by Smart Phone, Volume 2 (Volume Two: Latest in Genomics Methodologies for Therapeutics: Gene Editing, NGS and BioInformatics, Simulations and the Genome Ontology), Part 1: Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)

Sperm Analysis by Smart Phone

Reporter and Curator: Dr. Sudipta Saha, Ph.D.

 

Low sperm count and motility are markers for male infertility, a condition that is actually a neglected health issue worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have developed a very low cost device that can attach to a cell phone and provides a quick and easy semen analysis. The device is still under development, but a study of the machine’s capabilities concludes that it is just as accurate as the elaborate high cost computer-assisted semen analysis machines costing tens of thousands of dollars in measuring sperm concentration, sperm motility, total sperm count and total motile cells.

 

The Harvard team isn’t the first to develop an at-home fertility test for men, but they are the first to be able to determine sperm concentration as well as motility. The scientists compared the smart phone sperm tracker to current lab equipment by analyzing the same semen samples side by side. They analyzed over 350 semen samples of both infertile and fertile men. The smart phone system was able to identify abnormal sperm samples with 98 percent accuracy. The results of the study were published in the journal named Science Translational Medicine.

 

The device uses an optical attachment for magnification and a disposable microchip for handling the semen sample. With two lenses that require no manual focusing and an inexpensive battery, it slides onto the smart phone’s camera. Total cost for manufacturing the equipment: $4.45, including $3.59 for the optical attachment and 86 cents for the disposable micro-fluidic chip that contains the semen sample.

 

The software of the app is designed with a simple interface that guides the user through the test with onscreen prompts. After the sample is inserted, the app can photograph it, create a video and report the results in less than five seconds. The test results are stored on the phone so that semen quality can be monitored over time. The device is under consideration for approval from the Food and Drug Administration within the next two years.

 

With this device at home, a man can avoid the embarrassment and stress of providing a sample in a doctor’s clinic. The device could also be useful for men who get vasectomies, who are supposed to return to the urologist for semen analysis twice in the six months after the procedure. Compliance is typically poor, but with this device, a man could perform his own semen analysis at home and email the result to the urologist. This will make sperm analysis available in the privacy of our home and as easy as a home pregnancy test or blood sugar test.

 

The device costs about $5 to make in the lab and can be made available in the market at lower than $50 initially. This low cost could help provide much-needed infertility care in developing or underdeveloped nations, which often lack the resources for currently available diagnostics.

 

References:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/well/live/sperm-counts-via-your-cellphone.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_hh_20170324&nl=well&nl_art=7&nlid=65713389&ref=headline&te=1&_r=1

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/22/520837557/a-smartphone-can-accurately-test-sperm-count

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28330865

 

http://www.sciencealert.com/new-smartphone-microscope-lets-men-check-the-health-of-their-own-sperm

 

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2097618-are-your-sperm-up-to-scratch-phone-microscope-lets-you-check/

 

https://www.dezeen.com/2017/01/19/yo-fertility-kit-men-test-sperm-count-smartphone-design-technology-apps/

 

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Cheetah Medical Introduces New Algorithm for Fluid Management

Reporter: Lawrence J Mulligan, PhD

 

Cheetah Medical Advances the Science of Fluid Management

Cheetah Medical is the pioneer and leading global provider of 100% noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies that are designed for use in critical care, OR and emergency department settings. The CHEETAH NICOM™ and STARLING™ SV technologies use a proprietary algorithm to calculate parameters related to the volume of blood and the functioning of patients’ circulatory systems. Medical professionals use this information to assess patients’ unique volume requirements, guide volume management decisions and maintain adequate organ perfusion. Cheetah Medical technologies are designed to enable more confident, informed therapy decisions that support clinical goals of improving patient outcomes and driving economic efficiencies.

NEWTON, Mass. –(BUSINESS WIRE)– Cheetah Medical announced today that its eighth abstract on fluid management will be presented at Society of Critical Care Medicine meeting in January. Building on previous work, this abstract demonstrates a strong association between large volume fluid administration in septic shock and increased risk of death in more than 23,000 patients.

Each year, millions of patients require hemodynamic monitoring to ensure optimal volume and perfusion management. While intravenous fluid is typical first-line therapy for many critical care situations, volume management has been a challenge for the healthcare community. It is often difficult for a clinician to know the right amount of fluid to administer to patients, and there are serious complications associated with both under and over resuscitation.

“Ever since we’ve been using intravenous fluid, clinicians have been asking, ‘What is the right amount?’” said Doug Hansell, MD and Cheetah’s Chief Physician Executive. “Today, with non-invasive Cheetah technology, we have new tools to answer this question, and we are learning that getting this question right is more important than ever.”

Cheetah Medical has been working with leading researchers using a large U.S. dataset to better understand the risks and benefits of fluid administration. During the past two years, researchers have now released eight clinical abstracts on the importance of fluid management.

  • FLUID ADMINISTRATION IN SEPSIS AND SEPTIC SHOCK – PATTERNS AND OUTCOMES: Sepsis and septic shock is a huge national priority, as it is the most expensive condition to treat, at $24 billion per year (AHRQ). This study identified a strong association between large fluid administration (more than five liters) and excess mortality in septic shock patients. As expected, sicker patients received more fluid. However, even after accounting for the severity of illness, these patients had an increased risk of dying. (Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Conference, January 2017)
  • FLUID ADMINISTRATION IN OPEN AND LAPAROSCOPIC ABDOMINAL SURGERY: The study looked at the relationship between intraoperative fluid therapy and complications following abdominal surgery.Based on data from 18,633 patients, an increase in complications was found with day-of-surgery fluid use above five liters for open abdominal procedures. The study recommended individualized fluid therapy to reduce potentially negative effects from over/under resuscitation with intravenous fluids. (American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA] 2016 Annual Meeting)
  • FLUID PRESCRIPTIONS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH RENAL FAILURE: The implication of volume resuscitation and potential complications among patients with acute kidney injuries (AKIs) has been widely debated. This study examined the relationship between fluid administration and outcomesamong 62,695 AKI patients. It found the potential for both under and over resuscitation in those who received treatments with vasopressors. A better understanding of individual fluid needs was seen for patients requiring pressor and mechanical ventilation support. (European Society of Intensive Care Medicine [ESICM] Annual Congress, 2016)
  • EFFECTS OF FLUIDS ADMINISTRATION IN PATIENTS WITH SEPTIC SHOCK WITH OR WITHOUT HEART FAILURE (HF): The study examined the relationship between indications of fluid overload in sepsis patients (with or without diastolic HF) and outcomes. For 29,098 patients, mortality was the highest among those who received the highest volumes of fluid. It also noted that patients with diagnosed diastolic HF received less fluids and exhibited a significantly lower mortality than predicted. These lower mortality rates could be a result of a more conservative fluid treatment strategy applied in patients known to be at risk for fluid overload. (American Thoracic Society [ATS] 2016 International Conference)
  • WIDE PRACTICE VARIABILITY IN FLUID RESUSCITATION OF CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS WITH ARDS: The study looked at how variable fluid resuscitation testing and treatments impacted the outcomes of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). An analysis of 1,052 patients highlighted a highly variable fluid resuscitation. The findings suggest a widespread variability in provider decision-making regarding fluid resuscitation, which may be detrimental to quality and costs, lowering the overall value of care. (American Thoracic Society [ATS] 2016 International Conference)
  • POTENTIAL HARM ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERITY-ADJUSTED TREATMENT VARIABILITY IN FLUID RESUSCITATION OF CRITICALLY ILL SEPTIC PATIENTS: The study set out to determine treatment variability for patients with severe sepsis and how it may impact mortality. Retrospectively analyzing 77,032 patients, a high degree of treatment variability was found for fluid resuscitation, with a range of 250 ml to more than 7L of fluid administered. For patients who received less fluid, there was no increased risk of mortality. In those who received the most fluid, there was a strong association with worse hospital mortality. (American Thoracic Society [ATS] 2016 International Conference)
  • ASSOCIATION OF FLUIDS AND OUTCOMES IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA (CAP): Analyzing 192,806 CAP patients, the study looked at the correlation between fluid-volume overload, hospital mortality and ventilator-free days (VFDs). A significant association was found between the amount of fluid administered on day one, increased mortality and decreased VFDs. The study may have also identified a subset of CAP patients who could benefit from a more restrictive fluid strategy. (36thInternational Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine)
  • FLUID ADMINISTRATION IN COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED SEPSISEXAMINATION OF A LARGE ADMINISTRATIVE DATABASE: The study looked at variation in fluid administration practices and compliance with “Surviving Sepsis” guidelines, which recommend a minimum initial fluid administration of 30cc/kg in sepsis-induced tissue hypoperfusion patients. It found that a substantial proportion of patients (47.4 %) with community-acquired sepsis received less than the recommended guidelines within the first 24 hours. (Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Conference, 2016)

“We are very proud to have supported this work – we are advancing the science of fluid management and helping to improve our understanding of how better fluid management may improve patient outcomes,” said Chris Hutchison, CEO of Cheetah Medical.

 

SOURCE

https://www.cheetah-medical.com/cheetah-medical-advances-science-fluid-management/

 

Other related articles published in this Open Access On-line Scientific Journal includes the following:

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First U.S. TAVR Patients Treated With Temporary Pacing Lead (Tempo Lead)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

UPDATED on 8/2/2017

Medtronic wins FDA nod, CE Mark for Avalus aortic valve

AUGUST 2, 2017 BY FINK DENSFORD

http://www.massdevice.com/medtronic-wins-fda-nod-ce-mark-avalus-aortic-valve/?utm_source=newsletter-170802&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-170802&spMailingID=11611945&spUserID=MTU0MTAzNDg3OTA5S0&spJobID=1220180538&spReportId=MTIyMDE4MDUzOAS2

 

 

BioTrace Medical, Inc., a venture backed company based in San Carlos, Calif., is dedicated to reinventing temporary pacing to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital costs.

For more information: www.biotracemedical.com

 

FDA Clears Temporary Pacing Technology for Transcatheter Aortic Valve and EP Procedures

The BioTrace Medical Tempo temporary pacing lead is designed to reduce complications and hospital length of stay

The Tempo Lead represents the first major advance in temporary pacing since the technology was introduced decades ago,” said Susheel Kodali, M.D., director of the Heart Valve Program at the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. “As a critical component of every TAVR procedure, temporary leads are integral to successful clinical outcomes for patients. I am excited about the potential of this technology and look forward to using it in my practice.”

Results of the first-in-human study of the technology will be presented at the annual Transcatheter Cardiac Therapeutics (TCT) conference in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 10:59 a.m. eastern time in Room 209, Level 2.

“FDA clearance is an exciting milestone for BioTrace,” said Laura Dietch, CEO of BioTrace Medical. “We are pleased to bring this important innovation to the significant and growing number of patients needing better temporary pacing options to minimize risks and life-threatening complications. We look forward to launching in select U.S. centers in the coming weeks.”

For more information: www.biotracemedical.com

SOURCE

http://www.dicardiology.com/product/fda-clears-temporary-pacing-technology-transcatheter-aortic-valve-and-ep-procedures

December 19, 2016 — BioTrace Medical Inc. announced the first commercial use of the company’s Tempo Temporary Pacing Lead since U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance in October.

The first cases involved patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures and were performed by James Harkness, M.D., interventional cardiologist, and Brian K. Whisenant, M.D., medical director of the Structural Heart Disease Program at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Susheel Kodali, M.D., director of the Heart Valve Program at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital.

BioTrace Medical’s Tempo Lead is for use in procedures in which

  • Temporary pacing is indicated, including
  • TAVR and
  • Electrophysiology (EP) procedures.

The lead is designed for secure and stable cardiac pacing with the goal of reducing complications and allowing patients to ambulate sooner after procedures.

“The Tempo Lead is designed to alleviate the risks associated with lead dislodgement and inconsistent pacing, providing a safer option for patients.”

Temporary leads are used in more than 350,000 procedures each year, a number that is growing rapidly as the population ages and TAVR becomes increasingly common. The temporary pacing lead, a small catheter with two electrodes, is placed in the right ventricle of the heart through a vein in the groin or neck. The lead is then connected to an external pacemaker allowing a physician to monitor and control a patient’s heart rate for several days.

SOURCE

http://www.dicardiology.com/content/first-us-tavr-patients-treated-temporary-pacing-lead?eid=333021707&bid=1620839

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Advanced Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Axillary Artery PCI for Insertion and Removal of Impella Device

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

 

July 15, 2016
Authors:

Rajiv Tayal, MD, MPH1,2;  Mihir Barvalia, MD, MHA1;  Zeshan Rana, MD2;  Benjamin LeSar, MD1;  Humayun Iftikhar, MD1;  Spas Kotev, MD1;  Marc Cohen, MD1;  Najam Wasty, MD1

Abstract: Traditionally, brachial and common femoral arteries have served as access sites of choice, with many operators recently converting to radial artery access for coronary angiography and percutaneous intervention due to literature suggesting reduced bleeding risk, better patient outcomes, and lower hospital-associated costs. However, radial access has limitations when percutaneous procedures requiring larger sheath sizes are performed. Six Fr sheaths are considered the limit for safe use with the radial artery given that the typical luminal diameter of the vessel is approximately 2 mm, while peripheral artery disease (PAD) may often limit use of the common femoral artery, particularly in patients with multiple co-morbid risk factors. Similarly, the brachial artery has fallen out of favor due to both thrombotic and bleeding risks, while also not safely and reliably accommodating sheaths larger than 7 Fr. Here we describe 3 cases of a new entirely percutaneous technique utilizing the axillary artery for delivery of Impella 2.5 (13.5 Fr) and CP (14 Fr) cardiac-assist devices for protected percutaneous coronary intervention in the setting of prohibitive PAD.

J INVASIVE CARDIOL 2016;28(9):374-380. 2016 July 15 (Epub ahead of print)

Key words: axillary artery, percutaneous access, high-risk PCI

 

SOURCE

http://amptheclimeeting.com/ampcentral/articles/totally-percutaneous-insertion-and-removal-impella-device-using-axillary-artery-setting

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Advances and Future Directions for Transcatheter Valves – Mitral and tricuspid valve repair technologies now in development

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Based on

http://www.dicardiology.com/article/advances-and-future-directions-transcatheter-valves

 

Read the article “First TAVR Device Receives European Approval to Treat Intermediate Risk Patients”from August 2016.

Watch the video “The Evolution of TAVR Technology.” Interview with Juan Granada, M.D., executive director and chief scientific officer of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s Skirball Center for Innovation, at the Transcatheter Valve Therapies 2015 meeting.

 

Watch the video “TAVR Beats Surgery — Top News From ACC.16.” Dr. Vinod Thourani, professor of surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine and a co-investigator for the PARTNER II Trial, discusses the biggest news item from ACC.16 — the Sapien 3 TAVR device performed better that surgical aortic valve replacement.

Watch the video “CoreValve Trumps Surgical Valve Replacement — TVT 2015.” Interview with Michael Reardon, M.D., professor of cardiothoracic surgery at DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, and chairman of the patient screening committee, CoreValve U.S. pivotal trial, at the Transcatheter Valve Therapies 2015 meeting.

 

Read the article “FDA Clears Sapien XT for Valve-In-Valve Procedures.”

Read the article “FDA Expands Use of CoreValve for Aortic Valve-in-Valve Replacement.”

Transcatheter Mitral Valves are the Next Frontier

Most interventional and cardiac surgical experts say TMVR will be the next frontier in minimally invasive structural heart interventions. With the success and rapid growth of TAVR, there is an immense anticipation that TMVR will have an even greater impact in cardiology. This has translated into more than $2.5 billion being spent in the past year by vendors purchasing start-up TMVR companies, while less than 50 patients have actually been treated using these technologies, said Michael Mack, M.D., medical director, cardiovascular surgery, Baylor Health Care System and chairman of The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano Research Center.

However, the mitral valve involves much more complex anatomy than the aortic valve, so the devices, imaging for procedural planning and guidance will be much more sophisticated than what is used for TAVR. Among the challenges are: fixation of a device to the very small landing zone of the mitral annulus; avoiding the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT); avoiding compression of the atrioventricular (AV) node; avoiding the papillary muscle and chordae tendineae; ensuring the device seals properly to avoid paravalvular regurgitation; and the device needs to be able to adapt to remodeling of the anatomy. There are more than 20 TMVR devices in development. The majority of these valves utilize a self-expanding nitinol frame that engages both sides of the native mitral valve annulus for fixation, similar to Amplatzer septal closure devices.

The companies with first-in-human TMVR implants include Tendyne, Neovasc and Edwards Lifesciences’ Fortis and Sapien XT devices. The Neovasc Tiara, Tendyne Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve and CardiAQ Valve Technologies TMVR system all have been granted FDA conditional investigational device exemption (IDE) studies.

Watch the video “Transcatheter Mitral Valve Therapies in Development.” 

Watch the video “Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Technologies.” An interview with Ted Feldman, M.D., FACC, MSCAI, FESC, cardiac cath lab director, Evanston Hospital, North Shore Health System, and principle investigator, Everest II MitraClip U.S. pivotal trial, at the Transcatheter Valve Therapies 2015 meeting.

 

Advancements in TAVR and TMVR Technologies at TCT 2016 

Watch the video VIDEO “Transcatheter Valve Technology Advancements at TCT 2016.” This is an interview Torsten Vahl, M.D., about advancements in transcatheter valve repair technology, including new devices for the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves. Vahl is director of experimental and translational research and assistant professor of medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy.

Watch the video “VIDEO: Transcatheter Mitral Valve Technology, Anatomical Challenges.” A discussion with Juan Granada, M.D., about transcatheter mitral valve advancements and device challenges at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2016 annual meeting. Granada is executive director and chief scientific officer of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s Skirball Center for Innovation.

SOURCE

FEATURE | HEART VALVE TECHNOLOGY | NOVEMBER 12, 2015| DAVE FORNELL

Advances and Future Directions for Transcatheter Valves – Mitral and tricuspid valve repair technologies now in development

http://www.dicardiology.com/article/advances-and-future-directions-transcatheter-valves

 

Other related articles published in this Open Access Online Journal include the following:

 

Mitral Valve Repair: Who is a Patient Candidate for a Non-Ablative Fully Non-Invasive Procedure?

Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Mitral Valve Repair: Who is a Patient Candidate for a Non-Ablative Fully Non-Invasive Procedure?

 

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Inferior Vena Cava Filters: Device for Prevention of Pulmonary Embolism and Thrombosis

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

UPDATED on 7/18/2018

 

Original Investigation
Cardiology
July 13, 2018

Association of Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement for Venous Thromboembolic Disease and a Contraindication to Anticoagulation With 30-Day Mortality

JAMA Network Open. 2018;1(3):e180452. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0452
Key Points

Question  What is the association of inferior vena cava filter placement with 30-day mortality in patients with venous thromboembolic disease and a contraindication to anticoagulation?

Findings  In this cohort study, using 2 different statistical methods with adjustment for immortal time bias, inferior vena cava filter placement in patients with venous thromboembolic disease and a contraindication to anticoagulation was associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality.

Meaning  Randomized clinical trials are needed to define the role of inferior vena cava filter placement in patients with venous thromboembolic disease and a contraindication to anticoagulation.

 

Abstract

Importance  Despite the absence of data from randomized clinical trials, professional societies recommend inferior vena cava (IVC) filters for patients with venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) and a contraindication to anticoagulation therapy. Prior observational studies of IVC filters have suggested a mortality benefit associated with IVC filter insertion but have often failed to adjust for immortal time bias, which is the time before IVC filter insertion, during which death can only occur in the control group.

Objective  To determine the association of IVC filter placement with 30-day mortality after adjustment for immortal time bias.

Design, Setting, and Participants  This comparative effectiveness, retrospective cohort study used a population-based sample of hospitalized patients with VTE and a contraindication to anticoagulation using the State Inpatient Database and the State Emergency Department Database, part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, from hospitals in California (January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2011), Florida (January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2013), and New York (January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2012). Data analysis was conducted from September 15, 2015, to March 14, 2018.

Exposure  Inferior vena cava filter placement.

Main Outcomes and Measures  Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were constructed with IVC filters as a time-dependent variable that adjusts for immortal time bias. The Cox model was further adjusted using the propensity score as an adjustment variable.

Results  Of 126 030 patients with VTE, 61 281 (48.6%) were male and the mean (SD) age was 66.9 (16.6) years. In this cohort, 45 771 (36.3%) were treated with an IVC filter, whereas 80 259 (63.7%) did not receive a filter. In the Cox model with IVC filter status analyzed as a time-dependent variable to account for immortal time bias, IVC filter placement was associated with a significantly increased hazard ratio of 30-day mortality (1.18; 95% CI, 1.13-1.22; P < .001). When the propensity score was included in the Cox model, IVC filter placement remained associated with an increased hazard ratio of 30-day mortality (1.18; 95% CI, 1.13-1.22; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance  After adjustment for immortal time bias, IVC filter placement was associated with increased 30-day mortality in patients with VTE and a contraindication to anticoagulation. Randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the efficacy of IVC filter placement in patients with VTE and a contraindication to anticoagulation.

 

Requiem for Liberalizing Indications for Vena Caval Filters?

Samuel Z. Goldhaber

Guidelines

However, it is premature to hammer nails into the coffin and to gather as a medical community for a requiem that celebrates no indication for liberalizing indications for placing an IVC filter. Instead, we need to shift the focus of the questions that we investigate and pour resources into further randomized and observational trials of IVC filter insertion in special highrisk populations.

There remain important groups of patients who may benefit from IVC filters with reduction in PE and PE-associated mortality (Table 2). In some cases, tantalizing data suggest that these populations warrant filters. In other cases, we lack data to guide us. Patients with massive PE—accompanied by cardiogenic shock requiring vasopressors to support blood pressure—are desperately ill. They are clinically unstable. An additional PE under these circumstances can be the fatal blow. Data from the National Inpatient Sample and the International Cooperative PE Registry suggest that filters in these patients may be lifesaving.

Patients with severe PE who undergo acute surgical pulmonary embolectomy are vulnerable to recurrent PE, especially during the early postoperative period where full anticoagulation cannot be immediately implemented. I have had personal experience managing this type of patient where the embolectomy is successful but the patient dies of recurrent PE.19

Table 1. Generally Accepted Consensus Recommendations for IVC Filter Insertion in Patients With VTE

  • Major bleeding on full-dose anticoagulation
  • Major contraindication to full-dose anticoagulation
  • New-onset acute PE (especially recurrent PE) despite well-documented fulldose anticoagulation for an existing VTE

IVC indicates inferior vena caval; PE, pulmonary embolism; and VTE, venous thromboembolism.

 

Table 2. Special Populations Where Benefits of IVC Filter Insertion May Outweigh Risks

  • Massive PE or high-risk submassive PE
  • Surgical pulmonary embolectomy
  • Cancer patients with VTE or at high risk of VTE with concomitant high risk of bleeding if anticoagulated
  • Surgical patients (especially during preoperative evaluation) at high risk of VTE with concomitant high risk of bleeding if anticoagulated

IVC indicates inferior vena caval; PE, pulmonary embolism; and VTE, venous thromboembolism.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.022730

References

1. Stein PD, Matta F, Hull RD. Increasing use of vena cava filters for prevention of pulmonary embolism. Am J Med. 2011;124:655–661. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.02.021.

2. Jia Z, Wu A, Tam M, Spain J, McKinney JM, Wang W. Caval penetration by inferior vena cava filters: a systematic literature review of clinical significance and management. Circulation. 2015;132:944–952. doi: 10.1161/ CIRCULATIONAHA.115.016468

3. Owens CA, Bui JT, Knuttinen MG, Gaba RC, Carrillo TC, Hoefling N, Layden-Almer JE. Intracardiac migration of inferior vena cava filters: review of published data. Chest. 2009;136:877–887. doi: 10.1378/ chest.09-0153.

4. Nicholson W, Nicholson WJ, Tolerico P, Taylor B, Solomon S, Schryver T, McCullum K, Goldberg H, Mills J, Schuler B, Shears L, Siddoway L, Agarwal N, Tuohy C. Prevalence of fracture and fragment embolization of Bard retrievable vena cava filters and clinical implications including cardiac perforation and tamponade. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170:1827–1831. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.316.

5. Angel LF, Tapson V, Galgon RE, Restrepo MI, Kaufman J. Systematic review of the use of retrievable inferior vena cava filters. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2011;22:1522–1530.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2011.08.024.

19. Aklog L, Williams CS, Byrne JG, Goldhaber SZ. Acute pulmonary embolectomy: a contemporary approach. Circulation. 2002;105:1416–1419.

Other related articles published in this Open Access Online Scientific Journal include the follwoing:

 

Xarelto (Rivaroxaban): Anticoagulant Therapy gains FDA New Indications and Risk Reduction for: (DVT) and (PE), while in use for Atrial fibrillation increase in Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding Reported

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/04/xarelto-rivaroxaban-anticoagulant-therapy-gains-fda-new-indications-and-risk-reduction-for-dvt-and-pe-while-in-use-for-atrial-fibrillation-increase-in-gastrointestinal-gi-bleeding-reported/

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE): Blood Clots in Leg and Lungs – No. 3 Cardiovascular Killer Globally – Is Leading Cause of Premature Death and Disability in Hospitals

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/13/venous-thromboembolism-vte-blood-clots-in-leg-and-lungs-no-3-cardiovascular-killer-globally-is-leading-cause-of-premature-death-and-disability-in-hospitals/

The Relation between Coagulation and Cancer affects Supportive Treatments

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/10/19/the-relation-between-coagulation-and-cancer-affects-supportive-treatments/

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The presence of any Valvular Heart Disease (VHD) did not influence the comparison of Dabigatran [Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim] with Warfarin

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

UPDATED on 10/22/2018

Dabigatran (Pradaxa) was no better than aspirin for prevention of recurrent stroke among patients with an embolic stroke of undetermined source in the RE-SPECT ESUS trial reported at the World Stroke Congress.

 

Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate)
Clinical experience of Pradaxa® equates to over 9 million patient-years in all licensed indications worldwide. Pradaxa® has been in the market for more than ten years and is approved in over 100 countries.15
Currently approved indications for Pradaxa® are:16,17
  • Prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and a risk factor for stroke
  • Primary prevention of venous thromboembolic events in patients undergoing elective total hip replacement surgery or total knee replacement surgery
  • Treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) and the prevention of recurrent DVT and recurrent PE in adults
Dabigatran, a direct thrombin inhibitor (DTI), was the first widely approved drug in a new generation of direct oral anticoagulants, available to target a high unmet medical need in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic thromboembolic diseases.18,19,20
REFERENCES

SOURCE

https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/Results-from-two-Pradaxa-trials-to-be-presented-at-WSC

 

 

Event Rate and Outcome Risk, With vs Without Valvular Heart Disease

Outcome Valvular heart disease, event rate/y, % No valvular heart disease, event rate/y, % HR (95% CI)* P
Stroke, systemic embolic event 1.61 1.41 1.09 (0.88–1.33) 0.43
Major bleeding 4.36 2.84 1.32 (1.16–1.33) <0.001
Intracranial hemorrhage 0.51 0.41 1.20 (0.83–1.74) 0.32
All-cause mortality 4.45 3.67 1.09 (0.96–1.23) 0.18
*Adjusted using propensity scores

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Comparison of Dabigatran versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Valvular Heart Disease: The RE-LY Trial

Michael D. Ezekowitz, Rangadham Nagarakanti, Herbert Noack, Martina Brueckmann, Claire Litherland, Mark Jacobs, Andreas Clemens,Paul A. Reilly, Stuart J. Connolly, Salim Yusuf and Lars Wallentin

 http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020950

 

Results—There were 3950 patients with any VHD:

  • 3101 had mitral regurgitation,
  • 1179 tricuspid regurgitation,
  • 817 aortic regurgitations,
  • 471 aortic stenosis and
  • 193 mild mitral stenosis.

At baseline patients with any VHD had more

  • heart failure,
  • coronary disease,
  • renal impairment and
  • persistent atrial fibrillation.

Patients with any VHD had higher rates of

  • major bleeds (HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.16-1.5)

but similar

  • stroke or systemic embolism (SEE) rates (HR 1.09; 95% CI 0.88-1.33).

For D110 patients, major bleed rates were lower than warfarin (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.56-0.95 with and HR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71-0.99 without VHD) and

For D150 similar to warfarin in patients with (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.64-1.06) or without VHD (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.83-1.15).

For D150 patients stroke/SEE rates were lower versus warfarin with (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.37-0.93) and without VHD (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.52-0.86) and similar to warfarin for D110 irrespective of presence of VHD (HR 0.97 CI 0.65-1.45 and 0.85 CI 0.70-1.10).

For intracranial bleeds and death rates for D150 and D110 were lower vs warfarin independent of presence of VHD.

Conclusions—The presence of any VHD did not influence the comparison of dabigatran with warfarin.

Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT00262600.

SOURCES

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2016/08/05/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020950

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/867482?nlid=108872_3866&src=WNL_mdplsfeat_160816_mscpedit_card&uac=93761AJ&spon=2&impID=1179558&faf=1

 

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Thriving Three Groups on LinkedIn

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Article ID #206: Thriving Three Groups on LinkedIn. Published on 7/20/2016

WordCloud Image Produced by Adam Tubman

Groups Launcher and Group Manager: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Cardiovascular Biotech & Pharma UK & US Networking Group

954 members

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4357927

Leaders in Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence

350 members

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4346921

Innovation in Israel

205 members

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2987122

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