Stroke Correlates in Chagasic and Non-Chagasic Cardiomyopathies

BACKGROUND: Aging and migration have brought changes to the epidemiology and stroke has been shown to be independently associated with Chagas disease. We studied stroke correlates in cardiomyopathy patients with focus on the chagasic etiology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a cross-sectional review of medical records of 790 patients with a cardiomyopathy. Patients with chagasic (329) and non-chagasic (461) cardiomyopathies were compared. There were 108 stroke cases, significantly more frequent in the Chagas group (17.3% versus 11.1%; p<0.01). Chagasic etiology (odds ratio [OR], 1.79), pacemaker (OR, 2.49), atrial fibrillation (OR, 3.03) and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.92) were stroke predictors in a multivariable analysis of the entire cohort. In a second step, the population was split into those with or without a Chagas-related cardiomyopathy. Univariable post-stratification stroke predictors in the Chagas cohort were pacemaker (OR, 2.73), and coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR, 2.58); while atrial fibrillation (OR, 2.98), age over 55 (OR, 2.92), hypertension (OR, 2.62) and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.94) did so in the non-Chagas cohort. Chagasic stroke patients presented a very high frequency of individuals without any vascular risk factors (40.4%; OR, 4.8). In a post-stratification logistic regression model, stroke remained associated with pacemaker (OR, 2.72) and coronary artery disease (OR, 2.60) in 322 chagasic patients, and with age over 55 (OR, 2.38), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.25) and hypertension (OR 2.12; p = 0.052) in 444 non-chagasic patients. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Chagas cardiomyopathy presented both a higher frequency of stroke and an independent association with it. There was a high frequency of strokes without any vascular risk factors in the Chagas as opposed to the non-Chagas cohort. Pacemaker rhythm and CAD were independently associated with stroke in the Chagas group while age over 55 years, hypertension and atrial fibrillation did so in the non-Chagas cardiomyopathies

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure &lt;= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Use of oral antihypertensive medication preceding blood pressure elevation in hospitalized patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of oral antihypertensive medication preceding the increase in blood pressure in patients in a university hospital, the drug of choice, and the maintained use of antihypertensive medication. METHODS: Data from January to June 1997 from the University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos Pharmacy concerning the prescriptions of all inpatients were used. Variables included in the analysis were: antihypertensive medication prescription preceding increase in blood pressure, type of antihypertensive medication, gender, clinical or surgical wards, and the presence of maintained antihypertensive medication. RESULTS: The hospital admitted 2,532 patients, 1,468 in surgical wards and 818 in medical wards. Antihypertensive medication prescription preceding pressure increase was observed in 578 patients (22.8%). Nifedipine was used in 553 (95.7%) and captopril in 25 (4.3%). In 50.7% of patients, prescription of antihypertensive medication was not associated with maintained antihypertensive medication. Prescription of antihypertensive drugs preceding elevation of blood pressure was significantly (p<0.001) more frequent on the surgical floor (27.5%; 405/1468) than on the medical floor (14.3%; 117/818). The frequency of prescription of antihypertensive drugs preceding elevation of blood pressure without maintained antihypertensive drugs and the ratio between the number of prescriptions of nifedipine and captopril were greater in surgical wards. CONCLUSION: The use of antihypertensive medication, preceding elevation of blood pressure (22.8%) observed in admitted patients is not supported by scientific evidence. The high frequency of this practice may be even greater in nonuniversity hospitals

Impact of socio-economic profile on the prosthesis type choice used on heart surgery

INTRODUÇÃO: A doença cardíaca valvar é um grave problema de saúde pública, mais frequente em países em desenvolvimento, acometendo indivíduos em idade laboralmente produtiva. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o perfil socioeconômico e epidemiológico dos pacientes submetidos a cirurgia valvar e a sua relação com os tipos de próteses utilizadas em um centro de referência público de Salvador, BA, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal descritivo de prevalência, no qual foram analisados retrospectivamente idade, sexo, procedência, tipo de valvopatia, cirurgia a qual o paciente foi submetido e o tipo de prótese utilizada em casos de trocas, em centro de referência público de cardiologia. RESULTADOS: Foram revisados 366 prontuários, de todos os pacientes submetidos a cirurgia de valva cardíaca, de janeiro de 2007 a dezembro de 2009. Em relação ao sexo, 52% dos pacientes eram do sexo feminino. A idade média ± DP foi de 41,70 ± 17,85 anos. Dentre os pacientes, 37,7% eram procedentes da capital e 62,3%, do interior do estado da Bahia (Brasil). A troca valvar foi realizada em 73% dos pacientes, enquanto que 7,38% realizaram plastia valvar e 18,3% realizaram tanto plastia quanto troca. Dos pacientes que realizaram troca valvar, 70% receberam bioprótese e 30% do tipo metálica, com predominância do uso bioprótese nas faixas etárias jovens (PBACKGROUND: Valvar heart disease is an important public health problem, more common in developing countries, especially in younger. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiological features of patients and its influence on the prosthesis type choice used on patients who underwent valve surgery. METHODS: Cross-sectional. Data such as age, sex, provenance, surgery procedure and prosthesis type were retrospectively analyzed. We reviewed 366 charts of all patients submitted to heart valve surgery during three years in a public health cardiovascular treatment center. RESULTS: 52% of patients were female. The age range was from 5 to 82, the median was 41 years old. In regards 37.7% of patients came from Salvador (Bahia, Brazil) and 62.3% from countryside. Valve replacement was performed in 73% of patients, whereas 7.38% underwent valvuloplasty and 18.3% underwent valve repair and replacement. Regarding type of prosthesis, 70.0% received bioprosthesis and 30.0% received metal prosthesis. On note bioprosthesis were more used in younger (P<0,001). CONCLUSION: Biological prostheses were used predominantly in younger. This might be possible due to a low social-economic status, avoiding metal valve implantation and the consequent anticoagulation therapy

Clinical and Demographic Correlates of Stroke in 790 Cardiomyopathy Patients.

a<p>Unadjusted results based on Pearson chi-square or Fisher's exact test as appropriate.</p>b<p>Adjusted results based on logistic regression, including all variables with unadjusted <i>p</i><0.05. Missing cases were 22 due to listwise deletion. 768 patients remained in the analysis, 107 with a stroke and 661 without a stroke.</p>c<p>Cardioversion for ventricular tachycardia or cardiac arrest.</p>d<p>Left ventricular ejection fraction below 45%.</p>e<p>Coronary artery bypass graft or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.</p

Stroke Correlates in Non-Chagasic Patients.

a<p>Unadjusted results based on Pearson chi-square or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. See text for explanation on how variables were previously selected. All 461 non-chagasic patients were included in the analysis.</p>b<p>Adjusted results based on logistic regression, all listed variables included. See text for explanation on how variables were previously selected. Missing cases were 17 due to listwise deletion. 444 patients remained in the analysis, 50 with a stroke and 394 without a stroke.</p><p>CAD: Coronary artery disease.</p