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Cardiology in ReviewInflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis) is characterized by excruciating chest pain. This systematic literature review summarizes clinical, humanistic, and...
Inflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis) is characterized by excruciating chest pain. This systematic literature review summarizes clinical, humanistic, and economic burdens in acute, especially recurrent, pericarditis, with a secondary aim of understanding United States treatment patterns and outcomes. Short-term clinical burden is well characterized, but long-term data are limited. Some studies report healthcare resource utilization and economic impact; none measure health-related quality-of-life. Pericarditis is associated with infrequent but potentially life-threatening complications, including cardiac tamponade (weighted average: 12.7% across 10 studies), constrictive pericarditis (1.84%; 9 studies), and pericardial effusion (54.7%; 16 studies). There are no approved pericarditis treatments; treatment guidelines, when available, are inconsistent on treatment course or duration. Most recommend first-line use of conventional treatments, for example, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs with or without colchicine; however, 15-30% of patients experience recurrence. Second-line therapy may involve conventional therapies plus long-term utilization of corticosteroids, despite safety issues and the difficulty of tapering or discontinuation. Other exploratory therapies (eg, azathioprine, immunoglobulin, methotrexate, anakinra) present steroid-sparing options, but none are supported by robust clinical evidence, and some present tolerability challenges that may impact adherence. Pericardiectomy is occasionally pursued in treatment-refractory patients, although data are limited. This lack of an evidence-based treatment pathway for patients with recurrent disease is reflected in readmission rates, for example, 12.2% at 30 days in 1 US study. Patients with continued recurrence and inadequate treatment response need approved, safe, accessible treatments to resolve pericarditis symptoms and reduce recurrence risk without excessive treatment burden.
Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Chest Pain; Humans; Pericardial Effusion; Pericarditis; United States
PubMed: 32956167
DOI: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000356 -
Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal... Jan 2021Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) are metabolically active fat depots implicated in cardiovascular disease, and EAT has potential as a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) are metabolically active fat depots implicated in cardiovascular disease, and EAT has potential as a novel cardiac risk factor, suitable as a target for interventions. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the evidence whether EAT and PAT volume can be reduced by weight-loss interventions (exercise, diet, bariatric surgery or pharmaceutical interventions). A systematic literature search identified 34 studies that were included in the qualitative synthesis (exercise, n = 10, diet, n = 5, bariatric surgery, n = 9 and pharmaceutical interventions, n = 10). Of the 34 studies, 10 reported sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was only conducted for changes in EAT volume, since only few controlled studies reported changes in PAT (n = 3) or total cardiac adipose tissue volume (n = 1). A significant pooled effect size (ES) for reduction in EAT volume was observed following weight-loss interventions as compared with control interventions (ES = -0.89, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.55, P < 0.001). When comparing the effect of exercise training versus control on EAT volume reduction, there was a significant pooled ES favouring exercise training (ES: -1.11, 95% CI: -1.57 to -0.65, P < 0.001). Similarly, the ES of pharmaceutical versus control interventions on EAT volume reduction was significant, favouring pharmaceutical interventions (ES: -0.79, 95% CI: -1.37 to -0.21, P < 0.0072). In conclusion, this systematic review and meta-analysis provides evidence that exercise, diet, bariatric surgery and pharmaceutical interventions can reduce cardiac adipose tissue volume.
Topics: Adipose Tissue; Anti-Obesity Agents; Bariatric Surgery; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diet; Exercise; Humans; Pericardium; Weight Loss
PubMed: 32896056
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13136 -
Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal... Jan 2021We performed a meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus (since inception to 1... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
We performed a meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus (since inception to 1 February 2020) of randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of exercise interventions alone (with no concomitant weight loss intervention) on EAT. The standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) and 95% confidence interval between interventions were computed using a random effects model. Ten studies (including 521 participants who had, on average, overweight/obesity) met all inclusion criteria. Interventions were supervised and lasted 2 to 16 weeks (≥3 sessions·per week). Exercise significantly reduced EAT (g = 0.82 [0.57-1.07]) irrespective of the duration of the intervention or the EAT imaging assessment method. Exercise benefits were separately confirmed for endurance (six studies, n = 287; g = 0.83 [0.52-1.15]) but not for resistance exercise training (due to insufficient data for quantitative synthesis). It was not possible to compare the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus moderate-intensity continuous training (two studies, one reporting higher benefits with HIIT and the other no differences). Physical exercise interventions-particularly endurance training, with further evidence needed for other exercise modalities-appear as an effective strategy for reducing EAT in individuals with overweight/obesity, which supports their implementation for cardiovascular risk reduction.
Topics: Adipose Tissue; Exercise; Humans; Obesity; Overweight; Pericardium; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Resistance Training
PubMed: 32692478
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13103 -
Bulletin Du Cancer 2020Malignant pericardial effusion is a severe complication of lung and breast cancer. The median survival is less than 4 months and recurrences occurs in about 40% of...
INTRODUCTION
Malignant pericardial effusion is a severe complication of lung and breast cancer. The median survival is less than 4 months and recurrences occurs in about 40% of cases. Systemic chemotherapy and/or local treatments are necessary, even if there is no consensus.
METHODS
We collected data from patients in our center from 1997 to 2016 who received at least one intrapericardial instillation of bleomycin (60mg). At the same time, we conducted a review of the relevant literature on the subject.
RESULTS
We included 46 patients in the analysis. Median survival was 2.6 months [95% CI: 1.7; 4.7]. Overall survival was 49% [33%; 63%] at 3 months and 28% [15%; 42%] at 6 months. In the lung cancer subgroup, overall survival was 18% [3%; 44%] at 3 months. In the breast cancer subgroup, overall survival was 73% [44%; 89%] at 3 months and 46% [21%; 69%] at 6 months.
DISCUSSION
The best response rates in the literature are obtained with local instillation of bleomycin or cisplatin. Malignant pericardial effusions in breast cancer patients had a better prognosis. This is certainly related to the prognosis of the underlying disease. We have not found an increase in overall survival with intrapericardial chemotherapy injections, but preventing recurrence of malignant pericardial effusions is a benefit in itself, thus avoiding a lethal complication.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Bleomycin; Breast Neoplasms; Cisplatin; Female; Humans; Instillation, Drug; Lung Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Pericardial Effusion; Pericardium; Retrospective Studies; Secondary Prevention; Time Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 32513434
DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2020.04.010 -
Journal of Cardiovascular... Aug 2020The pathologic process of ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy) typically originates in the epicardium or subepicardial layers with progression toward... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Endo-epicardial ablation vs endocardial ablation for the management of ventricular tachycardia in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
The pathologic process of ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy) typically originates in the epicardium or subepicardial layers with progression toward endocardium. However, in the most recent ARVC international task force consensus statement, epicardial ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation is recommended as a Class I indication only in patients with at least one failed endocardial VT ablation attempt.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the outcomes of ARVC patients undergoing combined endo-epicardial VT ablation, as compared to endocardial ablation alone.
METHODS
A systematic review of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane was performed for studies reporting clinical outcomes of endo-epicardial VT ablation vs endocardial-only VT ablation in patients with ARVC. Fixed-Effect model was used if I < 25 and the Random-Effects Model was used if I ≥ 25%.
RESULTS
Nine studies consisting of 452 patients were included (mean age 42.3 ± 5.7 years; 70% male). After a mean follow-up of 48.1 ± 21.5 months, endo-epicardial ablation was associated with 42% relative risk reduction in VA recurrence as opposed to endocardial ablation alone (risk ratio [RR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.75; P < .0001). No significant differences were noted between endo-epicardial and endocardial VT ablation groups in terms of all-cause mortality (RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.03-47.08; P = .93) and acute procedural complications (RR, 5.39; 95% CI, 0.60-48.74; P = .13).
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that in patients with ARVC, endo-epicardial VT ablation is associated with a significant reduction in VA recurrence as opposed to endocardial ablation alone, without a significant difference in all-cause mortality or acute procedural complications.
Topics: Adult; Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia; Catheter Ablation; Endocardium; Female; Humans; Male; Pericardium; Recurrence; Tachycardia, Ventricular; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32478430
DOI: 10.1111/jce.14593 -
Nutrition, Metabolism, and... Jun 2020Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a global disease that is a manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), a special type of visceral adipose... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a global disease that is a manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), a special type of visceral adipose tissue, has been proposed to be an independent predictor of visceral adiposity. Both OSA and EAT have a close association with diabetes and coronary artery disease. Whether EAT thickness is associated with OSA is controversial.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Several databases were searched from their inception to October 13, 2019. We estimated the summarized weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for EAT thickness in the OSA and non-OSA groups. Then, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between EAT thickness and OSA. The relationship between EAT thickness and OSA severity was also assessed. Nine studies with a total of 1178 participants were included. Globally, patients with OSA had a higher EAT thickness than patients without OSA (WMD = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.73-1.16, P < 0.001). Compared to the non-OSA patients, those with mild, moderate, and severe OSA had a progressively higher EAT thickness (WMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.41-0.83; WMD = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.50-1.15; and WMD = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.70-1.43, respectively; all P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
EAT thickness was shown to be higher in patients with OSA than in patients with non-OSA measured by echocardiography. The increase in the EAT thickness was associated with OSA severity.
Topics: Adipose Tissue; Adiposity; Adult; Aged; Echocardiography; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pericardium; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
PubMed: 32446869
DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.03.016 -
European Journal of Cancer (Oxford,... Jun 2020An amassing body of evidence exists to support an association between the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and the development of tuberculosis (TB).
BACKGROUND
An amassing body of evidence exists to support an association between the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and the development of tuberculosis (TB).
METHODS
We performed a systematic review of the literature to assess the nature of this relationship using PubMed, EMBASE and meeting proceedings.
RESULTS
We have identified 16 patients who developed active TB during immunotherapy. Median age was 61 (range: 49-87). Twelve (75%) were male and 4 (25%) were female. Lung cancer was the most common type of cancer (n = 8), followed by melanoma (n = 3) and head and neck cancer (n = 3). Median time to TB reactivation after initiation of ICI therapy was 6.3 months (range: 1-24 months). Two (13%) patients died of complications of TB (spinal cord compression, GI perforation). TB reactivation in organs (pericardium, bone, liver, and GI track; one each) other than the lungs has been documented. We did not find any cases of TB reactivation that occurred during anti-CTLA-4 therapy.
CONCLUSION
Findings from our systematic review indicate that PD-(L)1 inhibitors are linked to TB reactivation. TB activation can occur in various organs and TB-related fatalities have been reported. TB screening before starting immunotherapy should be considered in high-risk patient populations. Further research, including prospective studies with patients whose baseline TB status is known, is necessary to better understand the incidence of TB reactivation during ICI therapy and how best to manage TB that develops during immunotherapy.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Prognosis; Survival Rate; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 32375103
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.03.015 -
Forensic Science, Medicine, and... Jun 2020Biochemical analysis of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), which is a biomarker of myocardial damage, is used as a potential adjunct test in clinical and forensic medicine.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Biochemical analysis of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), which is a biomarker of myocardial damage, is used as a potential adjunct test in clinical and forensic medicine. However, there is no previous meta-analysis that summarizes the diagnostic value of postmortem biochemical analysis of CK-MB in cardiac death. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of postmortem CK-MB in cardiac death for forensic work. Six online databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and Wanfang Data, were used to search for related studies. The quality of the included literature was assessed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). The meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager version 5.3 software to investigate the diagnostic role of postmortem CK-MB in cardiac death, especially in myocardial infarction. Sixteen pieces of related literature were identified, all of which were considered high quality. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that the postmortem CK-MB level in the pericardial fluid was significantly higher in the cardiac death group with a standard mean difference (SMD) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.09~1.17, p = 0.02. This was also the result in the myocardial infarction group (SMD = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.10~1.56, p = 0.03). No significant difference in CK-MB was found in serum for cardiac death (SMD = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.85~0.24, p = 0.27) or myocardial infarction (SMD = -0.10, 95% CI = -0.69~0.49, p = 0.74). The postmortem biochemical analysis of CK-MB in the pericardial fluid can be used as an auxiliary method in the postmortem diagnosis of cardiac death, along with autopsy and histological investigation.
Topics: Biomarkers; Creatine Kinase, MB Form; Death, Sudden, Cardiac; Humans; Myocardial Infarction; Pericardial Fluid
PubMed: 32193705
DOI: 10.1007/s12024-020-00232-5 -
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic... Mar 2020A pericardial hernia is defined as the protrusion of abdominal viscera through the central tendon of the diaphragm into the pericardial sac. It is a rare clinical entity...
OBJECTIVES
A pericardial hernia is defined as the protrusion of abdominal viscera through the central tendon of the diaphragm into the pericardial sac. It is a rare clinical entity whose symptoms vary considerably. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical manifestations of and the optimal surgical treatments for pericardial hernias.
METHODS
PubMed and the Cochrane bibliographical databases were searched (last search: 20 April 2019) for studies on pericardial diaphragmatic hernias in the adult population.
RESULTS
Eighty studies met our inclusion criteria and reported on 85 patients (62 men and 23 women) with a mean age of 55.86 ± 15.79 years (mean ± standard deviation) presenting with a pericardial hernia at health care facilities. The leading aetiology was trauma (56.5%) followed by iatrogenic interventions (30.6%). The most common herniated organs were the transverse colon (49.4%) and the greater omentum (48.2%). Seventy-one patients (83.5%) underwent an open surgical repair, whereas 14 (16.5%) had a laparoscopic approach. Mesh or a patch was applied in 41.9% of cases. A postoperative morbidity rate of 16.9% was recorded, whereas the mortality rate reached 2.4%.
CONCLUSIONS
Pericardial hernia is a rare disease characterized by abdominal organs herniating into the pericardium. It requires a high degree of suspicion for early diagnosis, and all medical professionals should be encouraged to report such cases to clarify the best available therapeutic approach.
Topics: Adult; Hernia, Diaphragmatic; Herniorrhaphy; Humans; Laparoscopy; Omentum; Pericardium; Surgical Mesh
PubMed: 31808516
DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivz292 -
Journal of Forensic Sciences May 2020Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an unexpected death caused by a sudden loss of cardiac function, which is currently a global public health problem. Evaluation of the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an unexpected death caused by a sudden loss of cardiac function, which is currently a global public health problem. Evaluation of the agonal cardiac function of the deceased is a quite important task for the diagnosis of SCD in forensic medicine. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are currently considered as significant biomarkers for the diagnosis of heart failure in both clinical and forensic practices. To investigate the postmortem evaluation roles of postmortem BNP and NT-proBNP levels for SCD, the present study meta-analyzed eight related studies from Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, China Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data. Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to assess the quality of the included literature, and the meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3.5 software. Postmortem NT-proBNP in pericardial fluid showed higher levels in the SCD group than that of the non-SCD group with the weighted mean difference = 3665.74, 95% confidence interval: 1812.89-5518.59, and p = 0.0001. However, postmortem levels of BNP in pericardial fluid and NT-proBNP in serum revealed no statistical difference between SCD and non-SCD subjects. The results of present meta-analysis demonstrated that postmortem NT-proBNP in the pericardial fluid could be used as an ancillary indicator for evaluation of agonal cardiac function in forensic medicine.
Topics: Biomarkers; Death, Sudden, Cardiac; Forensic Medicine; Heart Failure; Humans; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; Peptide Fragments; Pericardial Fluid
PubMed: 31738462
DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14232