Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity

Dehiscence Of A Composite Aortic Graft And Pseudoaneursym Late After A Bentall Operation

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Dehiscence of a Composite Aortic Graft and Pseudoan- eursym Late After a Bentall Operation

A 32-year-old female patient with previous Bentall operation and mitral valve repair surgery due to severe aortic insufficiency, mitral valve insufficiency, and ascending aortic aneurysm was admitted to our hospital with serious dyspnea, fatigue, and mild chest pain. Two-dimensional echocardiography demonstrated a markedly dilated basal aorta and cardiac chambers. Thoracic computed tomography scan highlighted a pseudoaneurysm, 14.5 cm in diameter (Figure 1). Urgent surgery was planned. The operation was performed under deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (arterial and venous line in the right femoral artery and vein). A large aortic pseudoaneurysm was demonstrated arising from the dehiscence of the proximal graft anastomosis (Figure 2). The composite graft did not require replacement, and it was possible to simply re-suture the composite graft and directly close the tear. The postoperative course was uneventful with no further evidence of leak from the anastomotic sites

Is Double-Blinding Possible While Administering Fluids In The Intensive Care Unit?

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Beating Heart Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery without Aortic Cross-Clamping via Right Thoracotomy in a Patient with Compromised Left Ventricular Functions

Global myocardial ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion injury are potential adverse events related with cardioplegic arrest. Beating heart surgery has avoided such complications and adapted to valve surgery following successful results published on myocardial revascularization. Difficulty in weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass may be lessened by using on-pump beating heart surgery for mitral valve interventions. Here we describe a 64-year-old male patient with severe mitral regurgitation and dilated cardiomyopathy. Beating heart mitral valve replacement surgery was performed without aortic cross-clamping through a right thoracotomy approach. We believe that, particularly in patients with poor left ventricular functions, beating heart mitral valve surgery may be advantageou

Comparison between intravenous and thoracic epidural analgesia in single coronary artery bypass graft surgery

WOS: 000306195600005Aim: To compare thoracic epidural analgesia with intravenous analgesia in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 40 patients who had received elective single artery bypass surgery. After general anesthesia, one group was given patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia and the other group was given patient-controlled intravenous meperidine analgesia. Patient assessments were performed during the postoperative period and included the duration of hospital stay, pain and sedation scores, ambulation score, atrial fibrillation incidence, and organ morbidities. Results: No differences were detected between the groups in the demographic or intraoperative data. However, a statistically significant difference was detected in favor of thoracic epidural analgesia for the duration of extubation and hospital stay, pain control, sedation grade, mobilization, and quality of recovery scores. Conclusion: After single coronary artery surgery, thoracic epidural analgesia was more effective than intravenous analgesia; it also enabled earlier tracheal extubation and a shorter hospitalization period

Surgical Treatment of Amplatzer Embolus in a Secundum Atrial Septal Defect Patient

A secundum atrial septal defect is the most common congenital heart defect. Transcatheter treatment of secundum atrial septal defects is a popular and less invasive alternative to surgery. Procedural complications may occur in a wide spectrum, particularly device embolus as the most emergent one, but luckily they do not commonly occur in the clinical setting. Mortality from adverse events related to transcatheter treatment strategies is twentyfold higher than that of primary elective surgical closure. Here, we report an Amplatzer device embolus in a secundum atrial septal defect patient. The device was successfully removed with surgery, postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged from the hospital on the 5th postoperative day

St. Jude Medical and CarboMedics mechanical heart valves in the aortic position: Comparison of long-term results

We designed this study to compare long-term results of St. Jude Medical and CarboMedics mechanical heart valves in the aortic position. We retrospectively analyzed the results of 174 consecutive patients who received either a St. Jude (n=80) or a CarboMedics (n=94) mechanical aortic valve from March 1992 through October 2004. The follow-up rate was 97.7%. The mean follow-up duration for the St. Jude group was 79.3 ± 35.0 and for the CarboMedics group, 70.0 ± 34.3 months. The cumulative follow-up was 523.8 and 530.1 patient-years, respectively. The 30-day mortality rates for the St. Jude and CarboMedics patients were 1.3% and 3.2%, respectively. The actuarial survival rate for the St. Jude group at 138.0 ± 4.7 months was 75.9% ± 0.1% and for the CarboMedics group at 130.8 ± 4.8 months was 69.8% ± 0.1% (P=NS). There was no structural valve deterioration in either group. Freedom from thromboembolic events was 87.7% for the St. Jude group and 83.0% for the CarboMedics group (P=NS). Freedom from bleeding events for the St. Jude group was 93.6% and for the CarboMedics group, 89.7% (P=NS). The results obtained from this study indicate that standard St. Jude Medical and CarboMedics aortic valve prostheses offer similar excellent clinical performance. Definitive judgment must await trials that are extensive, randomized, and prospective. © 2006 by the Texas Heart® Institute