Publications by authors named "Nicholas Dirckx"
Importance: The Aspirin and Hemocompatibility Events With a Left Ventricular Assist Device in Advanced Heart Failure (ARIES-HM3) study demonstrated that aspirin may be safely eliminated from the antithrombotic regimen after HeartMate 3 (HM3 [Abbott Cardiovascular]) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. This prespecified analysis explored whether conditions requiring aspirin (prior percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI], coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG], stroke, or peripheral vascular disease [PVD]) would influence outcomes differentially with aspirin avoidance.
Objective: To analyze aspirin avoidance on hemocompatibility-related adverse events (HRAEs) at 1 year after implant in patients with a history of CABG, PCI, stroke, or PVD.
Article Synopsis
- Women make up a small minority (20.4%) of LVAD recipients, showing differences in demographics such as being younger and predominantly nonischemic and Black, compared to men.
- Although women experienced similar survival rates and primary outcomes as men over 2 years, they had higher rates of complications like stroke, major bleeding, and infection, particularly in younger women.
- The study highlights the need for further investigation into the reasons for these increased complications among younger women with LVADs.
Article Synopsis
- A study examined the use of the CardioMEMS pulmonary artery pressure sensor to manage chronic heart failure patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), aiming to reduce hospitalizations.
- The research involved 101 patients (52 with HeartMate II and 49 with HeartMate 3), tracking their pulmonary artery pressure, walking ability, quality of life, and hospitalization rates over six months.
- Results showed that patients who significantly lowered their pulmonary artery diastolic pressure had better walking distances and fewer hospitalizations, indicating that the CardioMEMS system can effectively improve health outcomes in LVAD patients.
Background: In the MOMENTUM 3 (Multicenter Study of MagLev Technology in Patients Undergoing Mechanical Circulatory Support Therapy with HeartMate 3) pivotal trial, the HeartMate 3 (HM3) fully magnetically levitated left ventricular assist device (LVAD) demonstrated superiority over the axial-flow HeartMate II (HMII) LVAD. The patterns and predictors of hospitalizations with the HM3 LVAD have not been characterized.
Objectives: This study sought to determine causes, predictors, and impact of hospitalizations during LVAD support.
Objectives: This study sought to determine the impact of therapy guided by pulmonary artery (PA) pressure monitoring in patients with heart failure (HF) and obesity.
Background: Obesity is prevalent in HF and associated with volume retention, but it complicates clinical assessment of congestion.
Methods: The CardioMEMS Post Approval Study was a prospective, multicenter, open-label trial in 1,200 patients with New York Heart Association functional class III HF and prior HF hospitalization (HFH) within 12 months.