Cardiology Commons^™

Importance Of Serial Ekgs In The Emergency Room Setting, Swet Patel, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Chest pain is one of the most common chief complaints that presents to the emergency department. More than 8 million patients with chest related complaints present each year with about 10% of all ED visits comprise of cardiovascular emergencies. Immediate evaluation is the standard of care to differentiate between life threatening conditions and non-life threatening ones with the use of 12-lead electrocardiograph (EKG) and bedside monitors. The 12 lead EKG remains gold standard for initial screening and evaluating patients with chest pain and angina equivalents. The test is fairly inexpensive and noninvasive with providing vital information about cardiac rhythm. The …

Brash Syndrome Case Report And Brief Review, Kelly Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

BRASH syndrome is an acronym that stands for bradycardia, renal failure, AV node blocker, shock and hyperkalemia. The syndrome is precipitated by synergism from AV nodal blocking agents and hyperkalemia. The combination of the AV nodal blockade and renal failure leads to a cycle of severe bradycardia and hyperkalemia. We will discuss a case of BRASH syndrome with a 68 year old female who presented with generalized weakness and was found to be hypotensive, bradycardia, in acute renal failure with hyperkalemia likely related to metoprolol and amlodipine use.

Infective Endocarditis Secondary To Needle Embolization To The Heart, Tony Elias, David Barsoum, Robert Malak, Veyola Rezkalla, Maziyar Daneshvar, Howard Weinberg, Rafail Beshai

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Needle embolisms in the heart are very rare, even though the number of intravenous drug users (IVDUs) has increased over the past 10 years.Due to varied symptomology-chest pain, dyspnoea, fever, or asymptomatic, this remains a complex and likely underdiagnosed condition. We describe a 31-year-old female with past medical history of IV drug use who presented to the emergency room with heart palpitations and described it as her “heart feels funny” and shortness of breath. She acknowledged intravenous (IV) heroin use and stated that the last time to use IV drugs was 2 days before coming to the hospital.

To our …

Spontaneous Iliac Arteriovenous Fistula, High-Output Heart Failure, And Cardiac Arrest, J. Maxwell Piraneo, Russell Mordecai, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

High-output heart failure is a potentially life-threatening condition that can lead to cardiac arrest. The most common causes of this condition are obesity, liver disease, arteriovenous shunts, lung disease, and myeloproliferative disorders, however the exact prevalence remains uncertain [1]. Here we describe an unusual case of cardiac arrest as a consequence of high-output heart failure, secondary to rupture of an iliac artery aneurysm into the common iliac vein, with arteriovenous (AV) fistula formation.

New Onset Lichen Planus And Back Pain Leading To Discovery Of A Peri Aortic Abscess, Monica Diep, Wayne Tamaska, Philip Carhart, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Back pain is a common chief complaint in the emergency department. With the differential ranging from musculoskeletal pain to cauda equina, there are a plethora of diagnoses. Differentiating between benign back pain and back pain that warrants further evaluation and even possible emergent surgical intervention is often a challenge in the acute setting. In this case report, a strange combination of all new symptoms including lichen planus, fevers, chills and atraumatic back pain lead to the eerie and very unexpected diagnosis of a peri-aortic abscess.

I Finally Understand How Applying The Fagan Nomogram Can Change Medical Decision-Making, David Salvatori, Do

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

The author reflects on the case that changed his opinion on the efficacy of the Fagan nomogram.

Comparing The Safety And Efficacy Of A Rapid High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Protocol Between Hospital-Based And Free-Standing Emergency Departments, Arqam Husain, Joseph B. Miller, Satheesh Gunaga, Seth Krupp, Howard Klausner, Elizabeth Plemmons, Hashem Nasseredine, Jacob Tuttle, Bernard Cook, James K. Mccord

Medical Student Research Symposium

Study Objectives: Current high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) research has been conducted almost exclusively in hospital-based emergency department (HBED) settings and the translation of these protocols into free-standing emergency departments (FSED) has yet to be explored. This study compared the safety and efficacy of applying a rapid-rule out protocol using hs-cTnI for exclusion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in HBEDs and FSEDs.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial of patients evaluated for possible AMI in 9 emergency departments (ED) from July 2020 through March 2021. The trial arms included a new 0/1-hour rapid protocol using …

Lipoprotein(A) In Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease And Aortic Stenosis: A European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Statement, Florian Kronenberg, Samia Mora, Erik S G Stroes, Brian Ference Ference Ference, Benoit J. Arsenault, Lars Berglund, Marc R. Dweck, Marlys Koschinsky, Gilles Lambert, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

This 2022 European Atherosclerosis Society lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] consensus statement updates evidence for the role of Lp(a) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and aortic valve stenosis, provides clinical guidance for testing and treating elevated Lp(a) levels, and considers its inclusion in global risk estimation. Epidemiologic and genetic studies involving hundreds of thousands of individuals strongly support a causal and continuous association between Lp(a) concentration and cardiovascular outcomes in different ethnicities; elevated Lp(a) is a risk factor even at very low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. High Lp(a) is associated with both microcalcification and macrocalcification of the aortic valve. Current findings do …

Mortality And Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events In Hospitalized Patients With Atrial Fibrillation With Covid-19, Lucas Wang, Lawrence Hoang, Kristopher Aten, Mujahed Abualfoul, Victor Canela, Sri Prathivada, Michael Vu, Yi Zhao, Manavjot Sidhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

COVID-19 results in increased incidence of cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AF). However, little is known about the combined effect of AF and COVID-19 on patient outcomes. This study aimed to determine if AF, specifically new-onset AF (NOAF), is associated with increased risk of mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. This multicenter retrospective analysis identified 2,732 patients with COVID-19 admitted between March and December 2020. Data points were manually reviewed in the patients' electronic health records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess if AF was associated with death or MACE. Patients with AF …

Recurrent Cyanotic Spells In An Octogenarian, Chin Tong Kwok, Chun Kit Wong

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

We report rare case of an octogenarian who, after years of diagnostic delay, was found to have a patent foramen ovale, and due to an ascending aortic aneurysm that anatomically facilitated right-to-left shunt, presenting with life-threatening cyanotic attacks. The characteristic orthodeoxia-platypnea syndrome and high alveolar arterial gradient hint to the diagnosis. She was eventually treated successfully with urgent percutaneous PFO closure. Routine ordering of a transthoracic echocardiogram, without agitated saline injection under provocation maneuvers, may not be sufficient to rule out shunts.

Good Outcome Associated With Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption And Lower Blood Pressure After Endovascular Therapy, Parth Upadhyaya, Amit Mehta, Marie Luby, Saeed Ansari, John K Lynch, Amie W Hsia, Lawrence L Latour, Yongwoo Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between post-endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption on MRI or CT and average systolic blood pressure (SBP) with favorable 90-day functional outcome. Observational studies have found elevated SBP associated with worse outcomes post-EVT, while recent randomized trials found no difference in targeted BP reduction. There may be a subgroup of patients who benefit from targeted BP reduction post-EVT.

METHODS: This is a single-center study of 1) anterior large vessel occlusion stroke patients treated with EVT from 2015 to 2021, 2) achieved mTICI grade 2b or 3. Hyperintense acute reperfusion marker (HARM), hemorrhagic transformation (HT), …

Machine Learning-Based Prediction Of Acute Mortality In Emergency Department Patients Using Twelve-Lead Electrocardiogram, Po-Cheng Chang, Zhi-Yong Liu, Yu-Chang Huang, Yu-Chun Hsu, Jung-Sheng Chen, Ching-Heng Lin, Richard Tsai, Chung-Chuan Chou, Ming-Shien Wen, Hung-Ta Wo, Wen-Chen Lee, Hao-Tien Liu, Chun-Chieh Wang, Chang-Fu Kuo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The risk of mortality is relatively high among patients who visit the emergency department (ED), and stratifying patients at high risk can help improve medical care. This study aimed to create a machine-learning model that utilizes the standard 12-lead ECG to forecast acute mortality risk in ED patients.

METHODS: The database included patients who visited the EDs and underwent standard 12-lead ECG between October 2007 and December 2017. A convolutional neural network (CNN) ECG model was developed to classify survival and mortality using 12-lead ECG tracings acquired from 345,593 ED patients. For machine learning model development, the patients were …

Unfavorable Social Determinants Of Health Are Associated With Higher Burden Of Financial Toxicity Among Patients With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease In The Us: Findings From The National Health Interview Survey, Javier Valero-Elizondo, Zulqarnain Javed, Rohan Khera, Mauricio E. Tano, Ramzi Dudum, Isaac Acquah, Adnan A. Hyder, Julia Andrieni, Garima Sharma, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a major cause of financial toxicity, defined as excess financial strain from healthcare, in the US. Identifying factors that put patients at greatest risk can help inform more targeted and cost-effective interventions. Specific social determinants of health (SDOH) such as income are associated with a higher risk of experiencing financial toxicity from healthcare, however, the associations between more comprehensive measures of cumulative social disadvantage and financial toxicity from healthcare are poorly understood.
Methods: Using the National Health Interview Survey (2013-17), we assessed patients with self-reported ASCVD. We identified 34 discrete SDOH items, across 6 …

Effectiveness Of Non-Invasive Respiratory Support Strategies In Patients With Covid-19: A Systematic Review And Meta Analysis, Vinesh Kumar, Umair Arshad Malik, Reshman Kumari, Berkha Berkha, Vijay Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Simran Simran, Suman Suman, Bushra Nasim

Medical College Documents

Background: The effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory strategies, namely CPAP and HFNO, in reducing the risk of mortality and tracheal intubation in patients with severe COVID-19 is not well established.
Methods: A thorough literature search was conducted across 3 electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Central) from inception through July 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies assessing the impact of CPAP or HFNO on clinical outcomes in patients infected with COVID-19 were considered for inclusion. End-points included all-cause mortality and risk of tracheal intubation. Evaluations were reported as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and analysis was …

Sociodemographic Determinants Of Oral Anticoagulant Prescription In Patients With Atrial Fibrillations: Findings From The Pinnacle Registry Using Machine Learning, Zahra Azizi, Andrew T. Ward, Donghyun J. Lee, Sanchit S. Gad, Kanchan Bhasin, Robert J. Beetel, Tiago Ferreira, Sushant Shankar, John S. Rumsfeld, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: Current risk scores that are solely based on clinical factors have shown modest predictive ability for understanding of factors associated with gaps in real-world prescription of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
Objective: In this study, we sought to identify the role of social and geographic determinants, beyond clinical factors associated with variation in OAC prescriptions using a large national registry of ambulatory patients with AF.
Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, we identified patients with AF from the American College of Cardiology PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence) Registry. We examined associations between patient …

Factors Influencing The Use Of Postoperative Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (Bipap) In Patients Undergoing Adult Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Syed Shabbir Ahmed, Muhammad Saad Yousuf, Khalid Samad, Hameed Ullah, Khalid Maudood Siddiqui

Department of Anaesthesia

Background and aims: Respiratory complications are one of the biggest challenges following cardiac surgery, which can lead to hypoxia and acute respiratory failure (ARF). The aim of this study to identify the factors led to BiPAP application for postoperative respiratory complications and its effectiveness as the main outcome measures after cardiac surgery.
Methods: It was a retrospective cohort study with consecutive sampling technique. A total of 335 postcardiac surgery patients medical record was reviewed who were underwent for surgery from November 1, 2018 to November 30, 2019. 265 patients were finalized for the recruitment, five patients were excluded before the …

Racial/Ethnic And Gender Disparities Of The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (Ohca) In Texas, Summer Chavez, Ryan Huebinger, Hei Kit Chan, Kevin Schulz, Micah Panczyk, Normandy Villa, Renee Johnson, Robert Greenberg, Veer Vithalani, Rabab Al-Araji, Bentley Bobrow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Prior research shows a greater disease burden, lower BCPR rates, and worse outcomes in Black and Hispanic patients after OHCA. Female OHCA patients have lower rates of BCPR compared to men and other survival outcomes vary. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on OHCA incidence and outcomes in different health disparity populations is unknown.

METHODS: We used data from the Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES). We determined the association of both prehospital characteristics and survival outcomes with the pandemic period in each study group through Pearson's χ

RESULTS: Black OHCA patients (aOR = 0.73; 95% CI: …

Impact Of Social Vulnerability On Comorbid Cancer And Cardiovascular Disease Mortality In The United States, Sarju Ganatra, Sourbha S. Dani, Ashish Kumar, Safi U. Khan, Rishi Wadhera, Tomas G. Neilan, Paaladinesh Thavendiranathan, Ana Barac, Joerg Hermann, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: Racial and social disparities exist in outcomes related to cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to study the impact of social vulnerability on mortality attributed to comorbid cancer and CVD.
Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database (2015-2019) was used to obtain county-level mortality data attributed to cancer, CVD, and comorbid cancer and CVD. County-level social vulnerability index (SVI) data (2014-2018) were obtained from the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. SVI percentiles were generated for each county and aggregated to form …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Career Choice Of Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Study Amongst Pre-Medical Students In Pakistan, Raisa Saleh, Russell Seth Martins, Muhammad Saad, Asad Saulat Fatimi, Manzar Abbas, Inaara Akbar, Hamzah Jehanzeb, Shamila Ladak, Shamama Kaleem, Sarah Nadeem

Medical College Documents

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the lives of healthcare workers due to the frontline nature of their work. Their hard work and sacrifice have forged new perceptions of healthcare workers. These changes may potentially influence students' interest in medicine. This study explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected premedical students' decisions to pursue medicine as a career.
Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-designed online questionnaire was carried out amongst pre-medical students across Pakistan.
Results: A total of 1695 students from 93 public and private schools filled in the survey. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly …

Association Of Respiratory Symptoms And Lung Function With Occupation In The Multinational Burden Of Obstructive Lung Disease (Bold) Study, Jate Ratanachina, Andre F S Amara, Sara De Matteis, Herve Lawin, Kevin Mortimer, Daniel O. Obaseki, Imed Harrabi, Meriam Denguezli, Emiel F M Wouters, Asaad Ahmed Nafees

Community Health Sciences

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. We analysed cross-sectional data from 28,823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. Eleven occupations were considered and grouped by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, FEV1/FVC and FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income …

Leveraging Clinical Digitized Data To Understand Temporal Characteristics And Outcomes Of Acute Myocardial Infarctions At A Tertiary Care Medical Centre In Pakistan From 1988-2018 - Methods And Results, Zainab Samad, Ali Aahil Noorali, Awais Farhad, Safia Awan, Nada Qaiser Qureshi, Mushyada Ali, Laiba Masood, Ghurfan Adnan, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Javed Tai

Section of Cardiology

Background and objective: Few data exist on trends in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patterns spanning recent epidemiological shifts in low middle-income countries (LMICs). To understand temporal disease patterns of AMI characteristics and outcomes between 1988-2018, we used digitized legacy clinical data at a large tertiary care centre in Pakistan.
Methods: We reviewed digital health information capture systems maintained across the Aga Khan University Hospital and obtained structured elements to create a master dataset. We included index admissions of patients >18 years that were discharged between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 2018, with a primary discharge diagnosis of AMI (using …

Identifying Differences: A Key Step In Precision Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Salim S. Virani, Vijay Nambi

Office of the Provost

No abstract provided.

Association Between Social Vulnerability Index And Cardiovascular Disease: A Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Study, Vardhmaan Jain, Mahmoud Al Rifai, Safi U. Khan, Safi U. Khan, Ankur Kalra, Fatima Rodriguez, Zainab Samad, Yashashwi Pokharel, Arunima Misra, Laurence S. Sperling

Section of Cardiology

Background Social and environmental factors play an important role in the rising health care burden of cardiovascular disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) from US census data as a tool for public health officials to identify communities in need of support in the setting of a hazardous event. SVI (ranging from a least vulnerable score of 0 to a most vulnerable score of 1) ranks communities on 15 social factors including unemployment, minoritized groups status, and disability, and groups them under 4 broad themes: socioeconomic status, housing and transportation, minoritized groups, and …

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Features And Outcomes Of Patients With Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy - A Retrospective Follow-Up From Pakistan, Pirbhat Shams, Fateh Ali Tipoo Sultan

Section of Cardiology

Background: The exact prevalence of left ventricle non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) in south Asians is not known and phenotypic CMR characteristics, clinical features, and outcomes of LVNC remain unknown for the SA population.
Objective: To evaluate clinical characteristics, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging features, and outcomes of patients with left ventricle non-compaction.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of 294 patients undergoing cardiac MRI (CMR) for evaluation of cardiomyopathy from 2011 to 2020. Patients were stratified based on the presence or absence of left ventricle non-compaction (LVNC). Clinical characteristics, CMR features, and outcomes were evaluated.
Results: Out of 294 patients, 18 patients …

Statins: Masked Anti-Epileptic Warriors, Govinda Khatri, Priya Kotak, Ayush Kumar, Mohammad Mehedi Hasan

Medical College Documents

No abstract provided.

Acquired Hemophilia A: A Possibly Fatal Complication Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Hasan Fareed Siddiqui, Taymmia Ejaz, Aisha Fareed Siddiqui, Fahd Niaz Shaikh

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Rsph4a Gene In Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, Ron Nates, Mattan Arazi, Liza Grosman-Rimon, Roy Israel, Jacob Gohari, Leonid Sternik, Erez Kachel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: There is no consensus as to which patients should undergo Non-Contrast Chest Computerized Tomography (NCCCT) and carotid arteries Doppler (CD) prior to cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to examine whether preoperative imaging modalities provide clinical benefits and a change in surgical strategy.

METHODS: We routinely performed NCCCT and CD in all non-urgent cardiac surgery patients. Major NCCCT/CD findings related to cardiovascular findings (aortic calcification/atherosclerosis, carotid artery plaque/stenosis), or other incidental findings (lung kidney, thyroid, adrenal, gastrointestinal sites etc.) were documented. The results were divided into 3 categories: (A) findings requiring both changes in surgical strategy and …

Impact Of Post-Arrest Care Variation On Hospital Performance After Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Ryan Huebinger, Jordan Thomas, Benjamin S Abella, John Waller-Delarosa, Rabab Al-Araji, Richard Witkov, Normandy Villa, Peter Nikonowicz, Taylor Renbarger, Micah Panczyk, Bentley Bobrow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Large variation exists for out-of-hospital-cardiac-arrest (OHCA) prehospital care, but less is known about variations in post-arrest care. We sought to evaluate variation in post-arrest care in Texas as well as factors associated with higher performing hospitals.

METHODS: We analyzed data in Texas Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (TX-CARES), including all adult, non-traumatic OHCAs from 1/1/2014 through 12/31/ 2020 that survived to hospital admission. We first evaluated variability in provisions of post-arrest care and outcomes. We then stratified hospitals into quartiles based on their rate of survival and evaluated the association between improving quartiles and care. Lastly, we evaluated …

Cardiology Implications Of Ed Covid-19 Patients In An Underserved Rural Health Care Environment, Pedro Colio

Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Positive COVID-19 patients with chronic comorbidities have been associated with severe cardiac complications (e.g., STEMI, NSTEMI, myocarditis, pericarditis, AF) specifically among underserved communities. Acute STEMI and NSTEMI are cardiac conditions associated with ruptured atherosclerotic plaque leading to significant myocardial injury. AF, the most common arrhythmia leading to cerebrovascular accidents, is also common in hospitalized patients with severe illnesses. Myocarditis and pericarditis are inflammatory heart conditions associated with acute viral infections. According to the literature, these cardiac issues have been linked as complications of COVID-19. COVID 19 is an emerging, complex, and costly public health challenge globally with potential lifelong …

Case Report And Review: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (Scad), Michael Morris, Wayne Tamaska, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Trent Malcolm

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome or sudden death. SCAD has a high incidence in a younger, female population with an association with peripartum or postpartum status. Connective tissue disorders and vasculitides are also associated with SCAD. The purpose of this poster will be to examine the presentation and risk factors associated with SCAD and to discuss optimal treatment strategies.