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Journal of Thoracic Disease Mar 2020Patients with achondroplasia and other causes of dwarfism suffer from increased rates of cardiovascular disease relative to the remainder of the population. Few studies... (Review)
Review
Patients with achondroplasia and other causes of dwarfism suffer from increased rates of cardiovascular disease relative to the remainder of the population. Few studies have examined these patients when undergoing cardiac surgery or percutaneous intervention. This systematic review examines the literature to determine outcomes following cardiac intervention in this unique population. An electronic search was performed in the English literature to identify all reports of achondroplasia, dwarfism, and cardiac intervention. Of the 5,274 articles identified, 14 articles with 14 cases met inclusion criteria. Patient-level data was extracted and analyzed. Median patient age was 55.5 [interquartile ranges (IQR), 43.8, 59.8] years, median height 102.0 [98.8, 112.5] cm, median BMI 32.1 [27.0, 45.9], and 57.1% (8/14) were male. Of these 14 patients, nine had the following documented skeletal abnormalities: 66.7% (6/9) had scoliosis, 66.7% (6/9) had kyphosis, 11.1% (1/9) had lordosis, 11.1% (1/9) pectus carinatum and 11.1% (1/9) spinal stenosis. Coronary artery disease was present in 53.8% (7/13), and 30.8% (4/13) patients previously suffered a myocardial infarction. Of the eight patients who underwent cardiac surgery, 37.5% (3/8) underwent multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting, 37.5% (3/8) underwent aortic valve replacement, 25.0% (2/8) underwent type A aortic dissection repair, and the remaining 12.5% (1/8) underwent pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Six patients underwent percutaneous intervention. Median cardiopulmonary bypass time was 136.5 [110.0, 178.8] minutes. Median arterial cannula size was 20.0 [20.0, 24.0] Fr. Bicaval cannulation was performed in all cases describing cannulation strategy (5/5). Median superior vena cava cannula size was 28.0 [28.0, 28.0] Fr, and inferior vena cava cannula size was 28.0 [28.0, 28.0] Fr. No mortality was reported with a median follow up time of 6.0 [6.0, 10.5] months. In conclusion, Common cardiac procedures can be performed with reasonable safety in this patient population. Operative adjustments may need to be made with respect to equipment to accommodate patient-specific needs.
PubMed: 32274169
DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2020.02.05 -
Health Technology Assessment... Jan 2022The management of chronic thoracic aortic aneurysms includes conservative management, watchful waiting, endovascular stent grafting and open surgical replacement. The...
BACKGROUND
The management of chronic thoracic aortic aneurysms includes conservative management, watchful waiting, endovascular stent grafting and open surgical replacement. The Effective Treatments for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms (ETTAA) study investigates timing and intervention choice.
OBJECTIVE
To describe pre- and post-intervention management of and outcomes for chronic thoracic aortic aneurysms.
DESIGN
A systematic review of intervention effects; a Delphi study of 360 case scenarios based on aneurysm size, location, age, operative risk and connective tissue disorders; and a prospective cohort study of growth, clinical outcomes, costs and quality of life.
SETTING
Thirty NHS vascular/cardiothoracic units.
PARTICIPANTS
Patients aged > 17 years who had existing or new aneurysms of ≥ 4 cm in diameter in the arch, descending or thoracoabdominal aorta.
INTERVENTIONS
Endovascular stent grafting and open surgical replacement.
MAIN OUTCOMES
Pre-intervention aneurysm growth, pre-/post-intervention survival, clinical events, readmissions and quality of life; and descriptive statistics for costs and quality-adjusted life-years over 12 months and value of information using a propensity score-matched subsample.
RESULTS
The review identified five comparative cohort studies (endovascular stent grafting patients, = 3955; open surgical replacement patients, = 21,197). Pooled short-term all-cause mortality favoured endovascular stent grafting (odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.51 to 0.98; no heterogeneity). Data on survival beyond 30 days were mixed. Fewer short-term complications were reported with endovascular stent grafting. The Delphi study included 20 experts (13 centres). For patients with aneurysms of ≤ 6.0 cm in diameter, watchful waiting was preferred. For patients with aneurysms of > 6.0 cm, open surgical replacement was preferred in the arch, except for elderly or high-risk patients, and in the descending aorta if patients had connective tissue disorders. Otherwise endovascular stent grafting was preferred. Between 2014 and 2018, 886 patients were recruited (watchful waiting, = 489; conservative management, = 112; endovascular stent grafting, = 150; open surgical replacement, = 135). Pre-intervention death rate was 8.6% per patient-year; 49.6% of deaths were aneurysm related. Death rates were higher for women (hazard ratio 1.79, 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 2.57; = 0.001) and older patients (age 61-70 years: hazard ratio 2.50, 95% confidence interval 0.76 to 5.43; age 71-80 years: hazard ratio 3.49, 95% confidence interval 1.26 to 9.66; age > 80 years: hazard ratio 7.01, 95% confidence interval 2.50 to 19.62; all compared with age < 60 years, < 0.001) and per 1-cm increase in diameter (hazard ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval 1.65 to 2.18; = 0.001). The results were similar for aneurysm-related deaths. Decline per year in quality of life was greater for older patients (additional change -0.013 per decade increase in age, 95% confidence interval -0.019 to -0.007; < 0.001) and smokers (additional change for ex-smokers compared with non-smokers 0.003, 95% confidence interval -0.026 to 0.032; additional change for current smokers compared with non-smokers -0.034, 95% confidence interval -0.057 to -0.01; = 0.004). At the time of intervention, endovascular stent grafting patients were older (age difference 7.1 years; 95% confidence interval 4.7 to 9.5 years; < 0.001) and more likely to be smokers (75.8% vs. 66.4%; = 0.080), have valve disease (89.9% vs. 71.6%; < 0.0001), have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (21.3% vs. 13.3%; = 0.087), be at New York Heart Association stage III/IV (22.3% vs. 16.0%; = 0.217), have lower levels of haemoglobin (difference -6.8 g/l, 95% confidence interval -11.2 to -2.4 g/l; = 0.003) and take statins (69.3% vs. 42.2%; < 0.0001). Ten (6.7%) endovascular stent grafting and 15 (11.1%) open surgical replacement patients died within 30 days of the procedure ( = 0.2107). One-year overall survival was 82.5% (95% confidence interval 75.2% to 87.8%) after endovascular stent grafting and 79.3% (95% confidence interval 71.1% to 85.4%) after open surgical replacement. Variables affecting survival were aneurysm site, age, New York Heart Association stage and time waiting for procedure. For endovascular stent grafting, utility decreased slightly, by -0.017 (95% confidence interval -0.062 to 0.027), in the first 6 weeks. For open surgical replacement, there was a substantial decrease of -0.160 (95% confidence interval -0.199 to -0.121; < 0.001) up to 6 weeks after the procedure. Over 12 months endovascular stent grafting was less costly, with higher quality-adjusted life-years. Formal economic analysis was unfeasible.
LIMITATIONS
The study was limited by small numbers of patients receiving interventions and because only 53% of patients were suitable for both interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
Small (4-6 cm) aneurysms require close observation. Larger (> 6 cm) aneurysms require intervention without delay. Endovascular stent grafting and open surgical replacement were successful for carefully selected patients, but cost comparisons were unfeasible. The choice of intervention is well established, but the timing of intervention remains challenging.
FUTURE WORK
Further research should include an analysis of the risk factors for growth/rupture and long-term outcomes.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN04044627 and NCT02010892.
FUNDING
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Vol. 26, No. 6. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
Topics: Adolescent; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic; Child; Cohort Studies; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Endovascular Procedures; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Stents
PubMed: 35094747
DOI: 10.3310/ABUT7744 -
Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery May 2015Discordance between studies drives continued debate regarding the best management of asymptomatic severe mitral regurgitation (MR). The aim of the present study was to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Discordance between studies drives continued debate regarding the best management of asymptomatic severe mitral regurgitation (MR). The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of management plans for asymptomatic severe MR, and compare the effectiveness of a strategy of early surgery to watchful waiting.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were excluded if they: (I) lacked a watchful waiting cohort; (II) included symptomatic patients; or (III) included etiologies other than degenerative mitral valve disease. The primary outcome of the study was all-cause mortality at 10 years. Secondary outcomes included operative mortality, repair rate, repeat mitral valve surgery, and development of new atrial fibrillation.
RESULTS
Five observational studies were eligible for review and three were included in the pooled analysis. In asymptomatic patients without class I triggers (symptoms or ventricular dysfunction), pooled analysis revealed a significant reduction in long-term mortality with an early surgery approach [hazard ratio (HR) =0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21-0.71]. This survival benefit persisted in a sub-group analysis limited to patients without class II triggers (atrial fibrillation or pulmonary hypertension) [relative risk (RR) =0.85; 95% CI: 0.75-0.98]. Aggregate rates of operative mortality did not differ between treatment arms (0.7% vs. 0.7% for early surgery vs. watchful waiting). However, significantly higher repair rates were achieved in the early surgery cohorts (RR =1.10; 95% CI: 1.02-1.18).
CONCLUSIONS
Despite disagreement between individual studies, the present meta-analysis demonstrates that a strategy of early surgery may improve survival and increase the likelihood of mitral valve repair compared with watchful waiting. Early surgery may also benefit patients when instituted prior to the development of class II triggers.
PubMed: 26309823
DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2015.04.01 -
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... Feb 2019Prediction of embolic events (EEs) in infective endocarditis (IE) could inform clinical decisions, such as surgical timing. We conducted a systematic review to more...
OBJECTIVES
Prediction of embolic events (EEs) in infective endocarditis (IE) could inform clinical decisions, such as surgical timing. We conducted a systematic review to more precisely define associations between risk factors and EEs.
METHODS
We searched two bibliographic databases (1994-2018) for observational studies that reported EEs in IE patients and considered clinical, microbiological or echocardiographic risk factors. Studies that did not use Duke criteria or only investigated a subset of IE patients were excluded. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A pooled risk ratio (RR) for each risk factor was estimated using random-effects models; statistical heterogeneity was estimated using I.
RESULTS
Of 3862 unique citations, 47 cohort studies (11 215 IE cases) were included; 54 risk factors were analysed in at least two studies, with nine studies reporting other individual factors. Most studies were of high methodological quality. Major predictors of EEs were intravenous drug use (RR 1.69, 95% CI 1.32-2.17; I = 46%), Staphylococcus aureus infection (RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.45-1.86, I = 32%), mitral valve vegetation (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11-1.37, I = 30%), and vegetation size >10 mm (RR 1.87, 95% CI 1.57-2.21, I = 48%). EE risk was also higher with human immunodeficiency virus, chronic liver disease, elevated C-reactive protein, Staphylococcus spp. infection, vegetation presence, and multiple, mobile or prosthetic mechanical valve vegetation, and lower with Streptococcus spp. infection. Most findings were unchanged in sensitivity analyses that removed studies with pulmonary EEs from the outcome.
CONCLUSIONS
Given the serious consequences of embolism, surgical evaluation may be considered in patients with these risk factors.
Topics: Echocardiography; Embolism; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Humans; Risk Factors
PubMed: 30145401
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.08.010 -
Canadian Respiratory Journal 2017Recent studies have reported that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients present alterations in right ventricular (RV) structure and function. However, large randomized... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Recent studies have reported that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients present alterations in right ventricular (RV) structure and function. However, large randomized controlled trials evaluating the impact of OSA on the right ventricle are lacking.
METHODS
A comprehensive electronic database (PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) and reference search up to October 30, 2016, was performed. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess RV structure and function in OSA patients based on conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging.
RESULTS
Twenty-five studies with 1,503 OSA patients and 796 controls were included in this study. OSA patients exhibited an increase in RV internal diameter (weighted mean difference (WMD) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) 2.49 (1.62 to 3.37); = 0.000) and RV wall thickness (WMD (95% CIs) 0.82 (0.51 to 1.13); = 0.000). Furthermore, OSA patients had a significantly elevated RV myocardial performance index (WMD (95% CI) 0.08 (0.06 to 0.10); = 0.000), decreased RV S' (WMD (95% CI) -0.95 (-1.59 to -0.32); = 0.003), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (WMD (95% CI) -1.76 (-2.73 to -0.78); = 0.000), and RV fractional area change (WMD (95% CI) -3.16 (-5.60 to -0.73); = 0.011).
CONCLUSION
OSA patients display RV dilatation, increased wall thickening, and altered RV function.
Topics: Case-Control Studies; Echocardiography; Echocardiography, Doppler; Humans; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; Tricuspid Valve; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right; Ventricular Remodeling
PubMed: 28814913
DOI: 10.1155/2017/1587865 -
BMJ Open Jul 2014Left heart disease (LHD) is the main cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH), but little is known regarding the predictors of adverse outcome of PH associated with LHD... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Left heart disease (LHD) is the main cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH), but little is known regarding the predictors of adverse outcome of PH associated with LHD (PH-LHD). We conducted a systematic review to investigate the predictors of hospitalisations for heart failure and mortality in patients with PH-LHD.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed MEDLINE and SCOPUS from inception to August 2013 were searched, and citations identified via the ISI Web of Science.
STUDY SELECTION
Studies that reported on hospitalisation and/or mortality in patients with PH-LHD were included if the age of participants was greater than 18 years and PH was diagnosed using Doppler echocardiography and/or right heart catheterisation. Two reviewers independently selected studies, assessed their quality and extracted relevant data.
RESULTS
In all, 45 studies (38 from Europe and USA) were included among which 71.1% were of high quality. 39 studies were published between 2003 and 2013. The number of participants across studies ranged from 46 to 2385; the proportion of men from 21% to 91%; mean/median age from 63 to 82 years; and prevalence of PH from 7% to 83.3%. PH was consistently associated with increased mortality risk in all forms of LHD, except for aortic valve disease where findings were inconsistent. Six of the nine studies with data available on hospitalisations reported a significant adverse effect of PH on hospitalisation risk. Other predictors of adverse outcome were very broad and heterogeneous including right ventricular dysfunction, functional class, left ventricular function and presence of kidney disease.
CONCLUSIONS
PH is almost invariably associated with increased mortality risk in patients with LHD. However, effects on hospitalisation risk are yet to be fully characterised; while available evidence on the adverse effects of PH have been derived essentially from Caucasians.
Topics: Disease Management; Europe; Heart Failure; Hospitalization; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Survival Rate; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left
PubMed: 25011987
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-004843 -
Heart, Lung and Vessels 2015Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract is the most commonly performed valve repair/replacement procedure in congenital cardiac surgery. There is an...
INTRODUCTION
Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract is the most commonly performed valve repair/replacement procedure in congenital cardiac surgery. There is an ongoing shortage of homografts, and existing bioprosthetic options suffer from substantial rates of structural valve deterioration over time. The Medtronic Freestyle valve is used extensively in the aortic position, but little data is available on its performance in the pulmonary position.
METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis of primary studies reporting echocardiographic and clinical outcomes, including reintervention and functional status, associated with the Freestyle valve in the pulmonary position for both Ross and congenital surgery.
RESULTS
13 observational studies including 334 patients with a mean follow-up of 34 months (range 10-98 months) fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Structural valve deterioration occurred in 4.8% (95% confidence interval 0.8-10.6%) of patients. Reintervention was required in 1.1% (95% confidence interval 0.0-3.3%). Freedom from symptoms of heart failure occurred in 97.7% (94.6-99.7%). The results did not change substantially when analysed according to Ross or congenital surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
The Freestyle valve performs well at short-term follow-up and provides a viable alternative when homografts are unavailable. Further long-term studies are required to better assess its role in right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.
PubMed: 26811836
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Cardiology Sep 2019Interventional percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) was first reported in 2000. Today, two different valves are certified for this procedure [i.e. Medtronic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Interventional percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) was first reported in 2000. Today, two different valves are certified for this procedure [i.e. Medtronic Melody valve (Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) and Edwards Sapien™ valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA)]. For a decade, studies have reported an increasing risk of infective endocarditis (IE) after PPVI; as patients for PPVI are usually younger, even a low annual incidence of IE is important. However, the overall incidence and potential differences between the valves remain unclear.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was performed in the databases Medline, Cochrane Library, and Embase including the clinical trials register. The aim was to summarize and compare the cumulative incidence of IE after PPVI. Using a sensitivity analysis we set the incidence rates of the two valve types in ratio with a normal population.
RESULTS
A total of 967 publications were identified searching for "pulmonary valve implantation," "PPVI," and 47 publications were used for final analysis. A total 3616 patients with Melody valves and 501 with Sapien™ valves were included. IE after PPVI occurred in 214 patients with Melody valves and in 5 patients only with Sapien™ valves. The pooled incidence for Melody and Sapien™ valves was 4.9% (95% CI: 3.6-6.2) and 1.3% (95% CI: 0.3-2.3), respectively. Chi-square test was significant. The sensitivity analysis showed that the incidence rate ratio was 252.1 (95% CI: 187.6-338.6) for Melody valves and for Sapien™ valves 2.7 (95% CI: 0.8-9.2).
CONCLUSIONS
At present, there is an important difference for the risk of IE after PPVI. To reduce the risk of post PPVI endocarditis, a careful valve selection in favor of the Sapien™ valves seems to be beneficial.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Endocarditis; Female; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications; Pulmonary Valve; Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31113702
DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2019.04.007 -
JACC. Cardiovascular Interventions Mar 2022The authors aimed to identify risk factors and outcomes associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
The authors aimed to identify risk factors and outcomes associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
BACKGROUND
NOAF is a common complication after TAVR, although estimates of the precise occurrence are variable. This study sought to quantify the occurrence of NOAF after TAVR and to explore the outcomes and predictors associated with this complication.
METHODS
We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database from 2016 to 2020 for articles that reported NOAF after TAVR. We extracted data for studies published before 2016 from a previous systematic review. We pooled data using a random effects model.
RESULTS
We identified 179 studies with 241,712 total participants (55,271 participants with pre-existing atrial fibrillation (AF) were excluded) that reported NOAF from 2008 to 2020. The pooled occurrence of NOAF after TAVR was 9.9% (95% CI: 8.1%-12%). NOAF after TAVR was associated with a longer index hospitalization (mean difference = 2.66 days; 95% CI: 1.05-4.27), a higher risk of stroke in the first 30 days (risk ratio [RR]: 2.35; 95% CI: 2.12-2.61), 30-day mortality (RR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.12-2.76), major or life-threatening bleeding (RR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.39-1.84), and permanent pacemaker implantation (RR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.05-1.18). Risk factors for the development of NOAF after TAVR included higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, transapical access, pulmonary hypertension, chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease, and severe mitral regurgitation, suggesting that the risk for NOAF is highest in more comorbid TAVR patients.
CONCLUSIONS
NOAF is common after TAVR. Whether AF after TAVR is a causal factor or a marker of sicker patients remains unclear.
Topics: Aortic Valve Stenosis; Atrial Fibrillation; Humans; Risk Factors; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35331452
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcin.2022.01.018 -
Anatolian Journal of Cardiology Oct 2022Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is characterized by the presence of organized thrombi on cardiac valves, often associated with hypercoagulable states. There is a...
BACKGROUND
Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is characterized by the presence of organized thrombi on cardiac valves, often associated with hypercoagulable states. There is a paucity of data regarding the predictors of mortality in patients with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Our primary aim was to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.
METHODS
A systematic literature review of all published cases and case series was performed until May 2018 according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses statement guidelines. We applied random forest machine learning model to identify predictors of in-patient mortality in patients with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.
RESULTS
Our search generated a total of 163 patients (mean age, 46 ± 17 years; women, 69%) with newly diagnosed nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. The in-hospital mortality rate in the study cohort was 30%. Among the patients who died in the hospital, initial presentation of pulmonary embolism (12.2 vs. 2.6%), splenic (38.7 vs. 10.5%), and renal (40.8 vs. 9.6%) infarcts were higher compared to patients alive at the time of discharge. Higher rates of malignancy (71.4 vs. 39.4%, P = .0003) and lower rates of antiphospholipid syndrome (8.1 vs. 48.2%, P = .0001) were noted in deceased patients. Random forest machine learning analysis showed that older age, presence of antiphospholipid syndrome, splenic infarct, renal infarct, peripheral thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and mitral valve regurgitation were significantly associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality.
CONCLUSION
Patients admitted with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis have a high rate of in-hospital mortality. Factors including older age, presence of antiphospholipid syndrome, splenic/renal infarct, lower limb thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, and mitral valve regurgitation were significantly associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.
Topics: Adult; Antiphospholipid Syndrome; Endocarditis, Non-Infective; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve Insufficiency; Myocardial Infarction; Pulmonary Embolism; Thromboembolism
PubMed: 36052565
DOI: 10.5152/AnatolJCardiol.2022.1282