TY - JOUR
T1 - Predicting post-LVAD outcome
T2 - Is there a role for cognition?
AU - Pavol, Marykay A.
AU - Boehme, Amelia K.
AU - Willey, Joshua Z.
AU - Festa, Joanne R.
AU - Lazar, Ronald M.
AU - Nakagawa, Shunichi
AU - Casida, Jesus
AU - Yuzefpolskaya, Melana
AU - Colombo, Paolo C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Background: Cognition has been found to influence risk of stroke and death for a variety of patient groups but this association has not been examined in heart failure (HF) patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant. We aimed to study the relationship between cognition, stroke, and death in a cohort of patients who received LVAD therapy. It was hypothesized that cognitive test results obtained prior to LVAD placement would predict stroke and death after surgery. Methods: We retrospectively identified 59 HF patients who had cognitive assessment prior to LVAD placement. Cognitive assessment included measures of attention, memory, language, and visualmotor speed and were averaged to produce one z-score variable per patient. Survival analyses, censored for transplant, evaluated predictors for stroke and death within a follow-up period of 900 days. Results: For patients with stroke or death during the follow up period, the average cognitive z-score predicted post-LVAD stroke (HR = 0.513, 95% CI = 0.31–0.86, p = 0.012) and death (HR = 0.166, 95% CI = 0.06–0.47, p = 0.001). Cognitive performances were worse in the patients who suffered stroke or died. No other variable predicted stroke and death within the follow up period when the cognitive variable was in the model. Conclusion: Cognitive performance was predictive of post-LVAD risk of stroke and death. Results are consistent with findings from other studies in non-LVAD samples and may reflect early signs of neurologic vulnerability. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between cognition and LVAD outcomes in order to optimize patient selection, management, and advanced care planning.
AB - Background: Cognition has been found to influence risk of stroke and death for a variety of patient groups but this association has not been examined in heart failure (HF) patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant. We aimed to study the relationship between cognition, stroke, and death in a cohort of patients who received LVAD therapy. It was hypothesized that cognitive test results obtained prior to LVAD placement would predict stroke and death after surgery. Methods: We retrospectively identified 59 HF patients who had cognitive assessment prior to LVAD placement. Cognitive assessment included measures of attention, memory, language, and visualmotor speed and were averaged to produce one z-score variable per patient. Survival analyses, censored for transplant, evaluated predictors for stroke and death within a follow-up period of 900 days. Results: For patients with stroke or death during the follow up period, the average cognitive z-score predicted post-LVAD stroke (HR = 0.513, 95% CI = 0.31–0.86, p = 0.012) and death (HR = 0.166, 95% CI = 0.06–0.47, p = 0.001). Cognitive performances were worse in the patients who suffered stroke or died. No other variable predicted stroke and death within the follow up period when the cognitive variable was in the model. Conclusion: Cognitive performance was predictive of post-LVAD risk of stroke and death. Results are consistent with findings from other studies in non-LVAD samples and may reflect early signs of neurologic vulnerability. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between cognition and LVAD outcomes in order to optimize patient selection, management, and advanced care planning.
KW - Cognition
KW - LVAD
KW - death
KW - outcomes
KW - stroke
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U2 - 10.1177/0391398820956661
DO - 10.1177/0391398820956661
M3 - Article
C2 - 32907453
AN - SCOPUS:85090596899
SN - 0391-3988
VL - 44
SP - 237
EP - 242
JO - International Journal of Artificial Organs
JF - International Journal of Artificial Organs
IS - 4
ER -