Background: The clinical profile of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) candidates is rapidly changing, with increasing proportion of patients in more stable clinical conditions. However, early postoperative right ventricular failure (eRVF) is still one of the cornerstones associated with increased mortality and the preoperative recognition of associated risk factors remains challenging. The aim of this study was to identify predictive parameters for eRVF after LVAD implantation in patients with preoperative intermediate Intermacs (InM) risk profile 3-5.
Methods: Preoperative laboratory, echocardiography, and right heart catheterization data collected from 80 patients with InM profile 3-5 before LVAD implantation were retrospectively tested with respect to their ability to predict the risk for eRVF after the implantation of a continuous-flow LVAD.
Results: Preoperative higher bilirubin and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, higher Model for End-stage Liver Disease score, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and higher central venous pressure to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ratio (CVP/PCWP) were associated to higher risk of eRVF. Regarding the echocardiographic assessment, higher end diastolic linear dimensions of the RV, higher basal end diastolic RV linear dimension to LV ratio, severe tricuspid regurgitation, lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and lower RV fractional area contraction identified patients with higher risk for eRVF. In the multivariable analysis, a CVP/CPWP > 0.55 (odds ratio [OR]: 4, 95% confidence interval [CII]: 1.4-11.8;P = .01) and BUN > 44.5 mg/dL (OR: 6.6, 95% CI: 1.51-23; P = .011) independently predicted the risk of eRVF.
Conclusion: Preoperative BUN > 44.5 mg/dL and CVP/PCWP > 0.55 are associated to an increased risk of eRVF following LVAD implantation in intermediate InM patients.
Keywords: heart failure; left ventricular assist device; right ventricle.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Cardiac Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.