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In a randomized trial, 4811 patients with atrial fibrillation were assigned to undergo or not undergo left atrial appendage occlusion during cardiac surgery for another indication. At 3 years, 77% of the patients continued to receive oral anticoagulation. At 3.8 years, the risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism was significantly lower with occlusion than without it.

Background Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition reduces cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and is associated with a reduction in left ventricular (LV) mass index. However, the impact on right ventricular (RV) remodeling is unknown. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of SGLT2 inhibition on RV parameters and function in T2DM and coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods In EMPA-HEART CardioLink-6, 97 patients with T2DM and CAD were randomly assigned to empagliflozin 10 mg (n = 49) once daily or placebo (n = 48). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed at baseline and after 6 months. RV mass index (RVMi), RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volume index (RVEDVi, RVESVi) and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) were assessed in blinded fashion. Results At baseline, mean RVMi (± SD) (11.8 ± 2.4 g/m 2 ), RVEF (53.5 ± 4.8%), RVEDVi (64.3 ± 13.2 mL/m 2 ) and RVESVi (29.9 ± 6.9 mL/m 2 ) were within normal limits and were similar between the empagliflozin and placebo groups. Over 6 months, there were no significant differences in RVMi (− 0.11 g/m 2 , [95% CI − 0.81 to 0.60], p = 0.76), RVEF (0.54%, [95% CI − 1.4 to 2.4], p = 0.58), RVEDVi (− 1.2 mL/m 2 , [95% CI − 4.1 to 1.7], p = 0.41) and RVESVi (− 0.81 mL/m 2 , [95% CI − 2.5 to 0.90], p = 0.35) in the empaglifozin group as compared with the placebo group. In both groups, there was no significant correlation between RVMi and LVMi changes from baseline to 6 months. Conclusions In this post-hoc analysis, SGLT2 inhibition with empagliflozin had no impact on RVMi and RV volumes in patients with T2DM and CAD. The potentially differential effect of empagliflozin on the LV and RV warrants further investigation. Clinical Trial Registration : URL:  https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02998970?cond=NCT02998970&draw=2&rank=1 . Unique identifier: NCT02998970.

Coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most common cardiac surgical procedure performed worldwide, with more than 200,000 of the procedures performed annually in the United States alone. 1 Amidst several advances, the use of saphenous-vein grafts for bypass grafting remains common 2,3 : more than 90% of CABG procedures are performed with saphenous-vein grafts. However, two recalcitrant issues with saphenous-vein grafts persist — early graft failure and harvest-site complications. Traditionally, harvesting of the greater saphenous vein involves a long incision along the medial part of the lower leg or thigh. This approach is associated with significant wound complications, including infection, delayed healing, and . . .

Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may be beneficial in treating both acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic heart failure (IHF). However, the safety profile and efficacy of MSC therapy is not well‐known. We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials that evaluated the safety or efficacy of MSCs for AMI or IHF. Embase, PubMed/Medline, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to September 27, 2017. Studies that examined the use of MSCs administered to adults with AMI or IHF were eligible. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess bias of included studies. The primary outcome was safety assessed by adverse events and the secondary outcome was efficacy which was assessed by mortality and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). A total of 668 citations were reviewed and 23 studies met eligibility criteria. Of these, 11 studies evaluated AMI and 12 studies evaluated IHF. There was no association between MSCs and acute adverse events. There was a significant improvement in overall LVEF in patients who received MSCs (SMD 0.73, 95% CI 0.24–1.21). No significant difference in mortality was noted (Peto OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.38–1.22). Results from our systematic review suggest that MSC therapy for ischemic heart disease appears to be safe. There is a need for a well‐designed adequately powered randomized control trial (with rigorous adverse event reporting and evaluations of cardiac function) to further establish a clear risk‐benefit profile of MSCs. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2018;7:857–866 Mesenchymal stem cells may be beneficial in treating acute myocardial infarction and ischemic heart failure. Mesenchymal stem cells may be safe for treating these diseases, with no increase in death, cardiac, or hematologic adverse events. Patients treated with these cells had a significant improvement in ejection fraction, demonstrating the potential clinical efficacy of this therapy.

In patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI) but no urgent indication for renal replacement therapy (RRT), the optimal time to initiate RRT remains controversial. While starting RRT preemptively may have benefits, this may expose patients to unnecessary RRT. To study this, we conducted a 12-center open-label pilot trial of critically ill adults with volume replete severe AKI. Patients were randomized to accelerated (12 h or less from eligibility) or standard RRT initiation. Outcomes were adherence to protocol-defined time windows for RRT initiation (primary), proportion of eligible patients enrolled, follow-up to 90 days, and safety in 101 fully eligible patients (57 with sepsis) with a mean age of 63 years. Median serum creatinine and urine output at enrollment were 268 micromoles/l and 356 ml per 24 h, respectively. In the accelerated arm, all patients commenced RRT and 45/48 did so within 12 h from eligibility (median 7.4 h). In the standard arm, 33 patients started RRT at a median of 31.6 h from eligibility, of which 19 did not receive RRT (6 died and 13 recovered kidney function). Clinical outcomes were available for all patients at 90 days following enrollment, with mortality 38% in the accelerated and 37% in the standard arm. Two surviving patients, both randomized to standard RRT initiation, were still RRT dependent at day 90. No safety signal was evident in either arm. Our findings can inform the design of a large-scale effectiveness randomized control trial.

Aims Recent large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated efficacy of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in both preventing and treating heart failure (HF). SGLT2i‐induced reversal of left ventricular remodelling has been proposed as a mechanism contributing to this effect. Methods and results We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of RCTs to compare SGLT2i versus placebo (treatment duration >3 months) on cardiac remodelling parameters as measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) in patients with HF and/or diabetes. The PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched until 15 June 2021. Our primary outcome was change in absolute left ventricular mass (LVM) from baseline to study endpoint. Secondary outcomes included changes in LVM indexed to body surface area, left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end‐diastolic volume (LVEDV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from baseline to study endpoint. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess risk of bias. Five studies representing 408 patients were included. SGLT2i was associated with greater LVM regression compared to placebo (MD, −5.76 g; 95% CI, −10.87 g to −0.64 g, I2 = 73%; overall effect, P < 0.03; four RCTs). Statistical subgroup differences were not observed in our sensitivity analysis focusing on HF with reduced ejection fraction (P = 0.37) and were observed in our sensitivity analysis focusing on diabetes (P < 0.001). SGLT2i was not associated with statistical changes in LV mass indexed to body surface area (I2 = 75%; P = 0.16; five RCTs), LVESV (I2 = 87%; P = 0.07; five RCTs), LVEDV (I2 = 81%; P = 0.20; five RCTs), nor LVEF (I2 = 85%; P = 0.19; five RCTs) versus placebo. Sixty per cent of RCTs had low risk of bias. Conclusions Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors treatment was associated with a reduction in left ventricular mass as assessed by cMRI.

Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 Canadians and is associated with considerable socioeconomic burden. Although opioids have been the mainstay of treatment, they have lost favourability owing to crises of addiction, abuse, tolerance and dependence. Consequently, alternatives--including cognitive behavioural therapy, physical rehabilitation, non-opiate pharmacology and integrative therapies - have been developed.1,3 When conventional therapies produce unacceptable adverse effects or do not provide sufficient pain relief, spinal cord stimulation (neuromodulation) may offer a rescue option, either alone or in conjunction with other modalities. Neuromodulation, defined as the alteration of nerve activity through targeted stimulus delivery, was first introduced in 1967. It is based on the principle of electrically stimulating the dorsal column of the spinal cord, to mask pain signals. The technology has since advanced, and it was a Canadian neurosurgeon who helped demonstrate both the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation in chronic pain treatment.

Cannabis use is increasing among young adults, but its effects on cardiovascular health are poorly understood. We aimed to assess the association between recent cannabis use and history of myocardial infarction (MI) in young adults (aged 18–44 yr). We performed a cross-sectional study using pooled data from the 2017 and 2018 cohorts of the American Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey of US adults. We analyzed the association between any recent cannabis use and history of MI using a weighted logistic regression model that adjusted for demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, health-related behaviours, concomitant substance use and other comorbidities. We also assessed this association after stratifying by frequency of use and by primary method of consumption. Among 33 173 young adults (18.5 million weighted), 4610 respondents (3.2 million weighted) reported recent cannabis use (17.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 16.8%–18.2%). A history of MI was more frequent among recent cannabis users (n = 61 of 4610, 1.3%) relative to nonusers (n = 240 of 28 563 [0.8%], adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.07, 95% CI 1.12–3.82). A history of MI was associated with cannabis use of more than 4 times per month (adjusted OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.18–4.50), and with smoking as a primary method of consumption (adjusted OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.02–3.98). Our study provides evidence supporting an association between recent cannabis use and history of MI in young adults. Increasing cannabis use in an at-risk population could have negative implications for cardiovascular health.