U.S. Billion-ton Update: Biomass Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry

The Report, Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply (generally referred to as the Billion-Ton Study or 2005 BTS), was an estimate of “potential” biomass within the contiguous United States based on numerous assumptions about current and future inventory and production capacity, availability, and technology. In the 2005 BTS, a strategic analysis was undertaken to determine if U.S. agriculture and forest resources have the capability to potentially produce at least one billion dry tons of biomass annually, in a sustainable manner—enough to displace approximately 30% of the country’s present petroleum consumption. To ensure reasonable confidence in the study results, an effort was made to use relatively conservative assumptions. However, for both agriculture and forestry, the resource potential was not restricted by price. That is, all identified biomass was potentially available, even though some potential feedstock would more than likely be too expensive to actually be economically available. In addition to updating the 2005 study, this report attempts to address a number of its shortcoming

Effects of diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease on major outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Introduction: • Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD typically manifests in late stages of DM. • DM and CKD are prevalent in patients with cardiovascular disease. • The impact of concurrent DM and CKD on major adverse cardiocerebral events (MACE) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery remains unclear.1,2 Objective: To determine the effect of DM and CKD on major outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/anposters/1001/thumbnail.jp

Effects of preoperative aspirin on major outcomes in graded high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Introduction: Among patients with cardiovascular disease, nearly 70% take preventive aspirin.1 The benefits of aspirin are greater as a patient’s risk of cardiovascular events increases; patients with a lower risk of cardiovascular events derive less of a benefit from aspirin.2 The effect of aspirin in surgical patients has not yet been investigated, in particular if there is an optimal effect based on operative risk when undergoing cardiac surgery. Objective: To determine the effects of preoperative aspirin on major outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients with low, medium, and high predicted operative mortality as determined by the EuroSCORE risk model.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/anposters/1002/thumbnail.jp

Preoperative aspirin and major perioperative outcomes in patients with hypertension undergoing cardiac surgery

Introduction: Hypertension is prevalent in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular complications. Aspirin has been shown to prevent cardiovascular events in patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Very few studies have investigated aspirin and hypertension, particularly its effects on major outcomes in hypertensive patients undergoing cardiac surgery.1,2 Objective To determine the effects of preoperative aspirin on postoperative outcomes for patients with hypertension undergoing cardiac surgery. To examine the impact of chronic kidney disease and heart failure superimposed with hypertension on outcomes after cardiac surgery.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/anposters/1003/thumbnail.jp

Patient-Centered Cardiac Risk Communication

More than a third of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in America is primarily due to modifiable risk factors. This reflects the significant impact that patient behavior could have on health outcomes. Our solution is to develop a tool that would convert Framingham Risk Score (FRS) – the gold standard of cardiac risk assessment – into a personalized mode that best incorporates patient’s desires and abilities, and that ultimately elicits behavior change. The first phase in this project was to understand how physicians are currently assessing cardiac risk

Preoperative Aspirin Does Not Increase Transfusion or Reoperation in Isolated Valve Surgery

Preoperative aspirin has been studied in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery. However, there is a paucity of clinical data available evaluating perioperative aspirin in other cardiac surgical procedures. This study was designed to investigate the effects of aspirin on bleeding and transfusion in patients undergoing non-emergent, isolated, heart valve repair or replacement. Retrospective, cohort study. Academic medical center. A total of 694 consecutive patients having non-emergent, isolated, valve repair or replacement surgery at an academic medical center were identified. Of the 488 patients who met inclusion criteria, 2 groups were defined based on their preoperative use of aspirin: those taking (n = 282), and those not taking (n = 206) aspirin within 5 days of surgery. Binary logistic regression was used to examine relationships among demographic and clinical variables. No significant difference was found between the aspirin and non-aspirin groups with respect to the percentage receiving red blood cell (RBC) transfusion, mean RBC units transfused in those who required transfusion, massive transfusion of RBC, or amounts of fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, or platelets. Aspirin was not associated with an increase in the rate of re-exploration for bleeding (5.3% v 6.3%, p = 0.478). Major adverse cardiocerebral events (MACE), 30-day mortality, and 30-day readmission rates were not statistically different between the aspirin-and non-aspirin-treated groups. Preoperative aspirin therapy in elective, isolated, valve surgery did not result in an increase in transfusion or reoperation for bleeding and was not associated with reduced readmission rate, MACE, or 30-day mortality

Does Perioperative Use of Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors Improve Patient Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery?

2011 ACCF/AHA Guidelines for CABG: Uncertain about the safety of the preoperative administration of ACE inhibitors or ARBs in patients on chronic therapy and the safety of initiating ACE inhibitors or ARBs before hospital discharge 2014 ESC Guidelines: ACE inhibitors might be stopped 1 to 2 days before CABG to avoid the potential deleterious consequences of perioperative hypotension Guidelines state that ACE inhibitors or ARBs should be initiated postoperatively in CABG patients who were not receiving them preoperatively if they have an LVEF ≤40%, hypertension, diabetes, or CKD (Level of Evidence: A) There is still a lack of large clinical studies on the effects of perioperative use of RASi and long-term outcomes in cardiac surgeryhttps://jdc.jefferson.edu/anposters/1006/thumbnail.jp

The Effect of Aspirin on Bleeding and Transfusion in Contemporary Cardiac Surgery.

Despite evidence that preoperative aspirin improves outcomes in cardiac surgery, recommendations for aspirin use are inconsistent due to aspirin's anti-platelet effect and concern for bleeding. The purpose of this study was to investigate preoperative aspirin use and its effect on bleeding and transfusion in cardiac surgery.This retrospective study involved consecutive patients (n=1571) who underwent CABG, valve, or combined CABG and valve surgery at a single center between March 2007 and July 2012. Of all patients, 728 met the inclusion criteria and were divided into two groups: those using (n=603) or not using (n=125) aspirin within 5 days of surgery. Data were collected on chest tube drainage, re-operation for bleeding, and transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and platelets.No significant difference was observed between the two groups in chest tube drainage or re-operation for bleeding. An increase in patients transfused with RBCs was observed in the aspirin group (61.9 vs 51.2%, adjusted OR 1.77, p=0.027); however, among those transfused RBCs, no significant difference in mean units transfused or massive transfusion was observed. No significant difference was seen in transfusion requirement of FFP or platelets.In patients undergoing CABG, valve, or combined CABG/valve surgery, preoperative aspirin, within 5 days of surgery, was associated with an increased probability of receiving an RBC transfusion. Preoperative aspirin was not associated with an increase in chest tube drainage, re-operation for bleeding complications, or transfusion of FFP or platelets

Perioperative Renin–Angiotensin System Inhibitors Improve Major Outcomes of Heart Failure Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to study the association of perioperative administration of renin angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) and clinical outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF) undergoing cardiac surgery.Summary background dataIt is controversial whether the perioperative RASi should be administered in HF patients undergoing cardiac surgery.MethodsA total of 2338 patients with HF and undergoing CABG and/or valve surgeries at multiple hospitals from 2001 to 2015 were identified from STS database. After adjustment using propensity score and instrumental variable, logistic regression was conducted to analyze the influence of preoperative continuation of RASi (PreRASi) on short-term in-hospital outcomes. Independent risk factors of 30-day mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and renal failure were analyzed by use of stepwise logistic regression. The effects of pre- and postoperative use of RASi (PostRASi) on long-term mortality were analyzed using survival analyses. Stepwise Cox regression was conducted to analyze the independent risk factors of 6-year mortality. The relationships of HF status and surgery type with perioperative RASi, as well as PreRASi-PostRASi, were also evaluated by subgroup analyses.ResultsPreRASi was associated with lower incidences of 30-day mortality [ P < 0.0001, odds ratio (OR): 0.556, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.405-0.763], stroke ( P =0.035, OR: 0.585, 95% CI: 0.355-0.962), renal failure ( P =0.007, OR: 0.663, 95% CI: 0.493-0.894). Both PreRASi ( P =0.0137) and PostRASi ( P =0.007) reduced 6-year mortality compared with the No-RASi groups.ConclusionsPre- and postoperative use of RASi was associated with better outcomes for the patients who have HF and undergo CABG and/or valve surgeries. Preoperative continuation and postoperative restoration are warranted in these patients

Perioperative use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

It remains disputable about perioperative use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) and their outcome effects. This multicenter retrospective cohort study examines association between use of perioperative RASi and outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft and/or valve surgery. After the exclusion, the patients are divided into 2 groups with or without preoperative RASi (PreRASi, n = 8581), or 2 groups with or without postoperative RASi (PostRASi, n = 8130). With using of propensity scores matching to reduce treatment selection bias, the study shows that PreRASi is associated with a significant reduction in postoperative 30-day mortality compared with without one (3.41% vs. 5.02%); PostRASi is associated with reduced long-term mortality rate compared with without one (6.62% vs. 7.70% at 2-year; 17.09% vs. 19.95% at 6-year). The results suggest that perioperative use of RASi has a significant benefit for the postoperative and long-term survival among patients undergoing cardiac surgery