United States


Background: Andersen-Tawil Syndrome (ATS) is an autosomal dominant channelopathy classified as long QT syndrome (LQTS) type 7, Characterized by periodic paralysis, ventricular ectopy/arrhythmia, and dysmorphic features. According to different authors, prolonged QTc is not always present, and thus it should be reclassified. However, no studies have found the correlation to life-threatening arrhythmias (LTAs) and prolong QTc. This study compared the likelihood of LTAs like VT and VF in ATS patients with prolonged QTc intervals against those with normal QTc.

Methods: To enable a meta-analysis, we searched literature reviews of reported cases or cohort studies with ATS between 1994 and 2024. Cases were selected if they presented a cardiologic affection. Prolong QTc interval was defined as QTc 440 msec in females and 460 msec for males. Each variable was calculated using the validated percentage. Numerical variables are expressed as mean and SD. Categorical variables are expressed as percentages. Student’s t-test was used for numerical variables. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square. Values of p &lt;0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: 209 cardiologic-affected cases with ATS that provided information regarding the QTc interval were included. Of these, only 45.5% evidenced a prolonged QTc with a mean of 490  37 msec. ATS Probands were more likely to present a prolonged QTc than affected family members (51% vs. 29% respectively [p = 0.008]). Patients with prolonged QTc presented lower odds of a U wave than those with normal QTc (43% vs. 75%, respectively [p = 0.004]). Although there was no statistical significance when comparing LTAs in patients with prolonged QTc to normal QTc, LTAs were similar in both groups. VT episodes were more likely present with prolonged QTc than normal QTc (79% vs. 72%). However, episodes of sustained VT were more commonly present in cases with prolonged QTc than normal QTc (20% vs. 12%). Torsade de points and VF were more likely present in patients with a prolonged QTc interval than normal QTc (6% vs. 3% and 14% vs. 13%, respectively). Non-fatal cardiac arrest was slightly more common in cases with prolonged QTc than normal QTc (13% vs. 9%). Both prolonged and normal QTc had the same percentage of SCD (3%).

Conclusion: Although ATS has been classified as a long QT syndrome, prolongation is not always present. Patients with prolonged QTc demonstrated only a slightly increased percentage of developing LTAs compared to those with normal QTc. 


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Long QT type 7 (Andersen Tawil Syndrome): Is the QTc prolongation associated with higher odds of developing life-threatening arrhythmias or cardiac arrest?

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Background: Andersen-Tawil Syndrome (ATS) is an autosomal dominant channelopathy classified as long QT syndrome (LQTS) type 7, Characterized by periodic paralysis, ventricular ectopy/arrhythmia, and dysmorphic features. According to different authors, prolonged QTc is not always present, and thus it should be reclassified. However, no studies have found the correlation to life-threatening arrhythmias (LTAs) and prolong QTc. This study compared the likelihood of LTAs like VT and VF in ATS patients with prolonged QTc intervals against those with normal QTc.

Methods: To enable a meta-analysis, we searched literature reviews of reported cases or cohort studies with ATS between 1994 and 2024. Cases were selected if they presented a cardiologic affection. Prolong QTc interval was defined as QTc 440 msec in females and 460 msec for males. Each variable was calculated using the validated percentage. Numerical variables are expressed as mean and SD. Categorical variables are expressed as percentages. Student’s t-test was used for numerical variables. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square. Values of p <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: 209 cardiologic-affected cases with ATS that provided information regarding the QTc interval were included. Of these, only 45.5% evidenced a prolonged QTc with a mean of 490  37 msec. ATS Probands were more likely to present a prolonged QTc than affected family members (51% vs. 29% respectively [p = 0.008]). Patients with prolonged QTc presented lower odds of a U wave than those with normal QTc (43% vs. 75%, respectively [p = 0.004]). Although there was no statistical significance when comparing LTAs in patients with prolonged QTc to normal QTc, LTAs were similar in both groups. VT episodes were more likely present with prolonged QTc than normal QTc (79% vs. 72%). However, episodes of sustained VT were more commonly present in cases with prolonged QTc than normal QTc (20% vs. 12%). Torsade de points and VF were more likely present in patients with a prolonged QTc interval than normal QTc (6% vs. 3% and 14% vs. 13%, respectively). Non-fatal cardiac arrest was slightly more common in cases with prolonged QTc than normal QTc (13% vs. 9%). Both prolonged and normal QTc had the same percentage of SCD (3%).

Conclusion: Although ATS has been classified as a long QT syndrome, prolongation is not always present. Patients with prolonged QTc demonstrated only a slightly increased percentage of developing LTAs compared to those with normal QTc. 


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At the conclusion of this event, the AMA will announce the top five finalists who will advance to the AMA Research Challenge finals, present their research to an elite panel of judges, and compete to win a $10,000 grand prize presented by Laurel Road.<br><br>

### Grand Prize Sponsor

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Abstract Title
No Change in Endocarditis Rates in Patients with Congenital Heart Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Background
Infective endocarditis (IE) is an infection of the endothelial layer of the heart with a yearly incidence of 10/100,000 in the general population, 25%-30% from healthcare related infections. Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) have an increased risk for IE with a mortality rate of 19.4% at 6.7 years of follow-up. In 2025 there will be an estimated 355,000 adults aged 20-65 years of age with CHD. Poor dental hygiene and lack of preventive dental care are additional risk factors for developing IE.
In March 2020, the ADA Health Policy Institute reported 76% of dental offices were only seeing emergency cases and 19% were completely closed, and importantly for the adult CHD population, Medicaid dental coverage was limited or eliminated in many states.
We sought to investigate if the decreased access to dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased burden of IE in the CHD population.
Methods
Retrospective review of a de-identified national administrative database (Vizient Clinical Data Base/Resource Manager) for hospitalized patients 2-80 years old with an ICD-10 code for any severity CHD between 10/1/2018 – 8/30/2022. Using the introduction of the ICD-10 code for COVID-19 (U07.1) in April 2020 to designate pre- and post-COVID time periods, two eras were defined: Era 1 (10/1/2018 – 3/31/2020) and Era 2 (4/1/2020 – 8/30/2022). Comparisons were made between endocarditis rates, demographics, length of stay, complication rates, in-hospital mortality and costs between Eras.
Results
There was a total of 264,126 admissions with CHD during the study period, 7,532 (2.9%) with CHD and IE. There was no difference in endocarditis rates between Eras (p = 0.478). The only differences identified were a slightly older age at admission in Era 2 (45 vs 47 years, p = 0.001) and higher costs in Era 2 ($48,952 vs 53,758, p = 0.017).
Conclusion
In this retrospective review of a large U.S. administrative database, we did not identify a significant change in IE hospitalization rates in CHD patients. While this finding is reassuring, it may not tell the complete picture yet.
IE is a relatively rare condition with an annual incidence of 11/10,000 in the CHD population and can take months for symptoms to develop. Given the relatively short period available for study, there may not have been sufficient time with limited access to dental care to effect oral health enough and increase IE rates. It will be important for future studies to continue to assess this question.

No Change in Endocarditis Rates in Patients with Congenital Heart disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: 
Acute coronary syndrome describes various conditions related to sudden, reduced blood flow to the heart. Some traditional risk factors for ACS include older age, diabetes (DM), hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia (HLD), smoking, and obesity. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease which is a novel risk factor for ACS. Therefore, to better understand the impact of this disease, we investigated whether RA is associated with increased mortality, readmission, and length of stay (LOS) in patients with ACS alongside traditional risk factors.

Methods: 
33,223 patients who were admitted with ACS to the West Florida division of a large health system from 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2023 were retrospectively included in the study. The association of risk factors, including RA, age, sex, Black ethnicity, other non-Caucasian ethnicities, current tobacco use, former tobacco use, alcohol use disorder, body mass index (BMI), HLD, and DM, with in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission was evaluated via logistic regression and with LOS via negative binomial regression. 

Results:
- For RA:
The odds of in-hospital mortality was 0.779 times as likely (p-value .2252) and the odds of 30-day readmission was 0.948 times as likely (p-value .5671). RA resulted in a 1.034 factor increase in LOS (p-value .3369). 
- For traditional risk factors:
The odds of in-hospital mortality were 1.071 times as likely for every 1-year increase in age (p-value <.0001), 1.285 times as likely for current smokers (p-value 0.0020), 0.970 times as likely for every 1-point increase in BMI (p-value <.0001), 0.647 times as likely for patients with HLD (p-value <.0001), and 1.349 times as likely for patients with DM (p-value <.0001). 
Age, DM, and alcohol use disorder resulted in statistically significant increased 30-day readmission. 
Age, male sex, Black ethnicity, other non-Caucasian ethnicities, former tobacco use, current tobacco use, DM, and alcohol use disorder resulted in statistically significant increased LOS. 

Conclusion:
In terms of the discrete odds and incident rate ratios, RA was surprisingly associated with decreased in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission in the setting of ACS despite an associated increased LOS. In terms of statistical significance, there was no difference in these outcomes in patients with RA versus patients without RA. Meanwhile, the traditional risk factors continued to show worse outcomes with statistical significance in the same patient population. Knowledge of this may prevent over-utilization of time, equipment, and resources when addressing hospitalized patients with RA presenting with ACS.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Traditional Risk Factors on Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background
Right heart failure (RHF) is a complex syndrome commonly associated with serious cardiac and/or pulmonary disease and carries a high burden of morbidity and mortality. The burden of RHF versus left heart failure (LHF) and biventricular heart failure is not well-quantified and there is a lack of a direct comparison between these types of heart failure in patients’ data from a large clinical database. This study examines the prevalence of all-cause mortality and common comorbidities such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and cirrhosis in patients diagnosed with RHF versus LHF and other HF diagnoses.

Methods
Using the Epic COSMOS database, which integrates ICD-10 health information across over 200 health systems in the United States, we evaluated the proportion of death, cirrhosis, ESRD, and average length of hospitalization associated with RHF diagnoses versus other HF diagnoses, including LHF, from 1/1/2010-12/31/2023.

Results
From 577392 patients diagnosed with either RHF or LHF, we found 294233 diagnosed with RHF and 302222 diagnosed with LHF. 7027 were diagnosed with both.
RHF was associated with an average 38.7±0.2% death compared to 26.6±0.03% (p<0.0001) for that of other HF diagnoses and 31.1±0.2% (p<0.0001) for that of LHF diagnoses. The mean length of hospital stay was 7.5±0.03 days for RHF versus 6.7±0.01 days for other HF diagnoses. Furthermore, RHF patients were more likely to develop cirrhosis (p<0.0001) and ESRD (p<0.0001) than LHF patients after diagnosis.

Conclusion
Mortality associated with RHF is 12.3% greater than that of other HF diagnoses and 7.6% greater than that of LHF diagnoses. RHF seems to associate more with serious comorbidities such as ESRD and cirrhosis. Despite the increased mortality and morbidities associated with RHF, the length of hospitalization was not clinically different between the two groups. Since our data shows that RHF indicates a poor prognosis, greater emphasis should be placed on early diagnosis and management of RHF. Further studies are required to explore the pathophysiology of RHF and improve therapeutic approaches.

Right Heart Failure Linked to Worse Outcomes Than Left Heart Failure and Other Heart Failure

Background
Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 38 million individuals worldwide and is responsible for $26 billion in healthcare costs in the U.S. alone, with 75% of costs attributed to hospitalizations. Early rhythm control improves cardiovascular outcomes in AF and is a cornerstone of treatment. Class III antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) (e.g., dofetilide, sotalol) typically require inpatient initiation due to the risk of QT prolongation and torsades de pointes (TdP). This limits access and increases healthcare costs, with a single 3-day hospitalization for AAD initiation costing approximately $13,400. This burden disproportionately affects underserved populations, including minorities and rural populations, who may have limited access to appropriate healthcare facilities. We hypothesized that a novel machine learning (ML) algorithm paired with the SafeBeat Rx technology could enable safe outpatient AAD initiation, potentially improving access to care and reducing costs.
Methods
We developed CNN-BiLSTN based ML-model to automate ECG analysis and QTc measurement to drive AAD dosing recommendations. The model was trained on approximately 9M hand-annotated ECG heartbeats, utilizing data augmentation (e.g. noise) and k-fold cross validation (k=5). We then conducted a prospective study of patients admitted for in-patient dofetilide or sotalol initiation. Parallel to standard-of-care drug dosing, based on physician measured QTc on 12-lead ECG at baseline and 2 hours after each dose, patients were instructed to simultaneously record a mECG device (KardiaMobile 6L; AliveCor) which was transmitted to the software application. Software performance was evaluated by comparing software-annotated, physician adjudicated mECG QTc to blinded physician-measured 12-lead ECG QTc.
Results
A total of 50 patients (mean age 67 + 11 years, 64% male, 64% caucasian, 22% Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% Hispanic, mean baseline creatinine clearance 85.5 + 33.0mL/min, mean baseline QTc 417.7 + 30.1ms) underwent AAD initiation (44 dofetilide, 6 sotalol). The ML-based QTc measurement algorithm was used to analyze 314 mECGs that were used to guide 264 AAD doses. The ML- and physician-prescribed AAD dosing were congruent or more conservative in 245/264 (92.8%).
Conclusion
Overall, the software-recommended AAD drug dosing utilizing the ML QTc measurement was in high agreement with cardiologist-determined AAD drug dosing. These data demonstrate this software platform's potential to match clinician decisions for AAD dosing, offering the ability to support streamlined AAD titration regardless of patient setting. This approach shows promise for enabling safe outpatient initiation of AADs, potentially improving access to antiarrhythmic treatment and reducing healthcare costs.

SafeBeat Rx: A Novel Machine Learning Algorithm for Safe Initiation of Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Background: Sex disparities in cardiovascular disorders are well documented, but data on in-hospital outcomes for Complete Heart Block (CHB) remain scarce. Using a national readmissions database, we assessed the association of sex with the outcomes of CHB cases.
Methods: We examined the 2016-2020 Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) to identify patients with a principal diagnosis of CHB. Men were used as our control group, while women comprised our cohort. The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes included odds of mechanical ventilation use, all cause 30-day readmission, length of stay (LOS) and total hospitalization charges (THC). Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to adjust for confounders.
Results: Among the patients with CHB (N = 175,257), 45% were Female. A Female sex was associated with higher odds of mortality (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.42, 95% CI 1.3 – 1.55, p<0.001) compared to male patients with CHB. Additionally, female sex was associated with a higher likelihood of mechanical ventilation use (aOR 1.1, 95% CI 1.03 – 1.2, p=0.004), all cause 30-day readmission (aOR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03 – 1.13, p=0.004), longer LOS (4.13 days vs 3.86 days, p<0.001) and lower THC ($89,908 vs. $94,590, p=0.002) compared to male patients with CHB. 
Conclusions: Among patients with CHB, female sex was associated with higher odds of mortality and non-fatal adverse events compared to male patients. 


Sex-Based Differences in Hospitalization Outcomes for Complete Heart Block: A Population-Based Study 


Background
Methamphetamine use is associated with a range of cardiovascular conditions including hypertension and heart failure. Beta blocker use is commonly avoided when treating patients intoxicated with methamphetamines due to a fear of inducing unopposed alpha stimulation and worsening hypertension.
Methods
We performed a retrospective review of medical records in a county hospital in California with a high prevalence of methamphetamine users. We included adults who tested positive for methamphetamine use on urine toxicology and were admitted to the hospital or stayed in the ER for over 24 hours. Subjects who tested positive for methamphetamines and received beta blockers within 48 hours of their arrival to the ER were assigned to cases, subjects who tested positive for methamphetamines and received a non-beta blocker antihypertensive or no antihypertensive were assigned to the control group. We compared length of stay (LOS), readmission rate within 30 days and systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) between the groups at admission and 24 hours.
Results
130 cases and 117 controls were analyzed for LOS, 30 day readmission rate and SBP and DBP. Subjects were predominately male (60-70%) in both groups, with an average age of 52 for cases and 45 for controls. There was no significant difference between LOS and 30 day readmission rates between subjects who received beta blockers and subjects who did not. Subjects who received carvedilol were compared to subjects in the control group who received another antihypertensive, there was no significant difference in LOS between these groups. SBP at admission and 24 hours was significantly higher in the case group, however the effect size diminished over 24 hours. When comparing subjects who received carvedilol to those who received another antihypertensive, SBP was significantly higher at admission, but showed no significant difference after 24 hours.
Conclusion
Our results indicate that beta-blockers, particularly carvedilol, are an effective and safe treatment modality in methamphetamine users. Treatment with beta-blockers in the case group did not increase length of stay or re-admission rates compared to the control group, and treatment with carvedilol effectively reduced systolic blood pressure in patients with hypertension and cardiomyopathy. However it may be prudent to treat patients acutely intoxicated with methamphetamines with a combination of antihypertensives, including beta blockers, particularly in patients with cardiac comorbidities.

The Role of Beta Blockers in Methamphetamine Users with Cardiac Conditions- a Case Control Study

Background:
Mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD) is defined as aortic stenosis (AS) occurring simultaneously with aortic regurgitation (AR), and is the most frequent concomitant valvular disease worldwide. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is indicated based on guidelines for the primary lesion while considering the concomitant disease. TAVR seems to be associated with similar mortality rates in patients with MAVD compared to AS, while complications have conflicting data in literature. The aim of this study is to systematically synthesize the latest evidence to compare clinical outcomes of TAVR in MAVD compared to AS.

Methods:
Systematic literature review was conducted on PubMed and Embase for studies on outcomes of TAVR in MAVD from inception until April 2024. Data extracted from the articles included baseline characteristics and several outcomes. Primary outcomes were short- (<30 days) and long-term (>30 days) mortality. Secondary outcomes were complications in accordance with the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) consensus, including paravalvular regurgitation, vascular and bleeding complications, pacemaker implantation, and cerebrovascular events. A random-effects model was used to pool risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for clinical endpoints, and was conducted using RStudio.

Results:
11 observational studies including 133,558 patients were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences in primary endpoints (p>0.05). MAVD was associated with lower risk of cerebrovascular complications (RR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.53-0.97) and higher risk of paravalvular regurgitation (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07-1.55). No significant differences were noted in other secondary outcomes (p>0.05).

Conclusions:
The similar mortality risk of TAVR in MAVD compared to AS as well as higher risk of paravalvular regurgitation in MAVD is in accordance with most recent studies. However, this meta-analysis is the first to show a significantly lower risk of cerebrovascular events in MAVD patients. This study highlights the importance of future research to further delineate differences in procedural outcomes in this population.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Mixed Aortic Valve Disease: An Updated Meta-analysis

Background: 
Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory condition that mostly affects the skin and joints. Recent data indicate that psoriasis is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) and contributes to several cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, including metabolic syndrome, smoking, obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Our study quantifies cardiovascular-related deaths among psoriasis patients, examines trends over time, and highlights demographic and geographic disparities to better understand the impact of these coexisting conditions. 

Methods: Data from the CDC WONDER database was analyzed to identify cardiovascular- related deaths among adults aged 25 and older with psoriasis in the United States from 1999 to 2020. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 persons and annual percent change (APC) were calculated and stratified by year, sex, and age group. 

Results: Between 1999 and 2020, cardiovascular-related deaths in individuals with psoriasis accounted for 2,353 deaths among adults aged 25 and older in the US. The overall AAMR for cardiovascular-related deaths in psoriasis decreased from 0.87 in 1999 to 0.7 in 2020, with an Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) of -0.9324 (95% CI: -1.5179 to -0.3276, p < 0.05). A significant decline occurred from 1999 to 2011 (APC: -5.0752; 95% CI: -6.6070 to -3.8388), followed by a notable increase from 2011 to 2020 (APC: 4.8738; 95% CI: 2.9977 to 7.5961). Men exhibited higher AAMRs compared to women. The AAMR for both men and women decreased, with a steeper decline for women from 1999 to 2011 (APC: -5.05) compared to men in the same period (APC: -4.97). Individuals aged 65 and older demonstrated a decline in AAMR from 1999 to 2011 (APC: -5.66), followed by an increase from 2011 to 2020 (APC: 4.69). Individuals aged 35 to 64 did not demonstrate a similar trend, with an APC of 0.48 from 1999 to 2020. 

Conclusion: This analysis reveals significant differences in cardiovascular-related mortality rates among individuals with psoriasis. Men had higher mortality rates than women, with a notable decline from 1999 to 2011 followed by an increase from 2011 to 2020. People aged 65 and older showed a similar pattern, while those aged 35 to 64 exhibited stable rates. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the increasing mortality rates, particularly in older adults and men, to improve health outcomes for patients with psoriasis.

Trends and Disparities in Cardiovascular-Related Mortality Among 
Individuals with Psoriasis in the United States (1999-2020)

Background:
Heart failure and Diabetes are interrelated conditions, whereby the presence of one condition heightens the likelihood of developing the other. Given the poor prognosis of heart failure in diabetic patients, this study aims to quantify mortality rates among heart failure patients with and without diabetes. It examines trends over time and highlights demographic and geographic disparities to better understand the impact of these coexisting conditions.

Methods: Data from the CDC WONDER database was analyzed to identify heart failure- related deaths with and without diabetes mellitus among all age groups in the United States from 1999 to 2020. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 persons and annual percent change (APC) were calculated and stratified by year, sex, race/ethnicity, region, and urbanization.

Results: Between 1999 and 2020, heart failure-related deaths with diabetes mellitus accounted for 1,028,703 deaths, while heart failure-related deaths without diabetes accounted for 3,912,345 deaths. The overall AAMR for heart failure-related deaths with diabetes increased from 22 in 1999 to 27.3 in 2020, with an Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) of 0.4646 (95% CI: 0.0134 to 0.8398, p = 0.0455). A significant decline occurred from 1999 to 2016 (APC: -1.2046; 95% CI: -1.8079 to -0.7404), followed by a notable increase from 2016 to 2020 (APC: 7.8768; 95% CI: 4.3018 to 16.9504). Men exhibited a higher AAMR than women (25.9 vs. 18.5). The American Indian or Alaska Native group had the highest AAMR, followed by Black or African American, with comparable levels for Hispanics or Latinos and Whites. Asian or Pacific Islanders had the lowest AAMR. Geographically, the Midwest, West, and South showed comparable mortality rates, while the Northeast had the lowest AAMR. Non-metropolitan areas had higher AAMRs than metropolitan areas (28.5 vs. 20.1), with a significant decrease in non-metropolitan areas (AAPC: 0.9306, p = 0.0016) and a non-significant decrease in metropolitan areas (AAPC: 0.4025, p = 0.0571).

Conclusion: This analysis reveals significant differences in mortality rates between heart failure with and without diabetes mellitus, based on demographic and geographic factors. While heart failure-related mortality rates initially declined from 1999 to 2016, a recent rise has been observed from 2016 to 2020. Men, American Indian or Alaska Natives, and those in non-metropolitan areas exhibited the highest mortality rates. These findings signify the need for targeted public health interventions to address these disparities and improve health outcomes for high-risk groups.

Trends and Disparities in Heart Failure Mortality With and Without Diabetes Mellitus in the US

Background 

The Arc of Riolan (AoR) is known to provide collateral vascularization between the Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) and the Inferior Mesenteric Artery (IMA), yet inconsistent definitions regarding the artery’s course exist. The AoR is a highly contested and confusing collateral artery among existing gastrointestinal arteries. The identification and preservation of the AoR is crucial to reducing the risk of acute colonic ischemia following splenic procedures. However, more details about the AoR 
prevalence and pattern are needed to corroborate the likelihood of finding this collateral artery in a patient. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and pattern of the AoR as defined by a connectionbetween the Middle Colic Artery (MCA) and Ascending Left Colic Artery (ALCA). 

Methods 
A total of fifty-two cadaveric colons were dissected at Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine. Specific dissection techniques were employed to expose the ascending, transverse, and descending colon, and associated vasculature. AoR patterns were observed and photographed in all the donors. Photographic analysis followed dissection to determine whether a connection between the MCA and ALCA was present. 

Results 
The AoR was identified in six bodies (11.5%) as a smaller artery forming collateral circulation between the Ascending Left Colic Artery off the IMA and the Middle Colic Artery off the SMA. The AoR was thin in nature when compared with SMA and IMA arterial branches. The authors of this study hypothesize that corroborating previous Arc studies with additional prevalence data regarding the AoR connection will encourage and assist with the identification and preservation of the Arc during colonic procedures. 

Conclusion 
The AoR was identified in 11.5% of the colons examined and the artery’s course was noted. The frequency of the connection identified in this study matches existing AoR prevalence studies. Additional samples will be collected to determine the statistical significance of this pilot study. Vasculature and anastomotic connections among the transverse and descending colon are highly variable from patient to patient; however, surgeons must be aware of a collateral artery that connects the MCA with the ALCA, given that its frequency is about 11% among patients. Proper identification and preservation of the AoR could prevent post-operative ischemia following bowel resection. 



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