Elective institution of ECLS for primary PCI is associated with improved outcomes. A single center experience

Background/Purpose: The use of extracorporeal life sup- port (ECLS) in the cath lab has increased in recent years, as it provides adequate support during high‐risk angioplasty pro- cedures (HR‐PCI). Timing of ECLS initiation is crucial and we aim to elucidate the diffecences in early outcome between elective or rescue (ECPR) use of VA‐ECMO during HR‐PCI. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the use of venous‐ar- terial ECMO (VA‐ECMO) as a support during HR‐PCI for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with cariogenic shock (CS). Only the patients who met the criteria of the ELSO guide- lines were selected for receiving VA‐ECMO. The results of the group in which the VA‐ECMO was started electively be- fore or after the procedure were analyzed and compared with the group of patients in which it was started under cardiac massage after hemodynamic deterioration (ECPR) during the procedure. Results: From July 2013 to May 2017, 14 patients aged 60.1 ± 9.26 year received VA‐ECMO for ACS, with the clin- ical diagnosis of (CS). In seven patients the VA‐ECMO was initiated pre‐PCI or post‐PCI (sliding fast on inotropic sup- port), while in the other seven patients the VA‐ECMO was used as ECPR after hemodynamic collapse during the pro- cedure. The ECMO setup was percutaneously in all patients through the femoral vessels. All patients received culprit le- sion revascularization. Intra‐aortic balloon pump (IABP) was used in 11 patients (78.5%), preoperatively in 100% of theECPR group. We were able to wean four patients in the “elec- tive” group, while only three in the ECPR group; one patient was discharged on support and transplanted. The “elective group” had a lower mortality (2 [28.6%] vs 4 [57.1%]; “elec- tive” vs “ECPR” group). Conclusions: Elective use of VA‐ECMO for high‐risk PCI is associated, even in this small series, with improved in‐hospi- tal survival. Our results foster the pre‐PCI use of VA‐ECMO in HR‐PCI patients presenting with CS

Supplemental nitric oxide and its effect on myocardial injury and function in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation.

AbstractBackgroundCardiopulmonary bypass induces a systemic inflammatory response that may contribute to clinical morbidity. Gaseous nitric oxide at relatively low concentrations may elicit peripheral anti-inflammatory effects in addition to a reduction of pulmonary resistances. We examined the effects of 20 ppm of inhaled nitric oxide administered for 8 hours during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.Methods and resultsTwenty-nine consecutive patients undergoing aortic valve replacement combined with aortocoronary bypass were randomly allocated to either 20 ppm of inhaled nitric oxide (n = 14) or no additional inhalatory treatment (n = 15). Blood samples for total creatine kinase, creatine kinase MB fraction, and troponin I measurements were collected at 4, 12, 24, and 48 hours postsurgery. In addition, we collected perioperative blood samples for measurements of circulating nitric oxide by-products and brain natriuretic peptide. Soluble P-selectin was analyzed in blood samples withdrawn from the coronary sinus before and after aortic clamping. The area under the curve of creatine kinase MB fraction (P = .03), total creatine kinase (P = .04), and troponin I (P = .04) levels were significantly decreased in the nitric oxide–treated patients. Moreover, in the same group we observed blunted P-selectin and brain natriuretic peptide release (P = .01 and P = .02, respectively). Nitric oxide inhalation consistently enhanced nitric oxide metabolite levels (P = .01).ConclusionsNitric oxide, when administered as a gas at low concentration, is able to blunt the release of markers of myocardial injury and to antagonize the left ventricular subclinical dysfunction during and immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass. The organ protection could be mediated, at least in part, by its anti-inflammatory properties

Randomized Evidence for Reduction of Perioperative Mortality.

Objective: With more than 220 million major surgical procedures performed annually, perioperative interventions leading to even minor mortality reductions would save thousands of lives per year. This international consensus conference aimed to identify all nonsurgical interventions that increase or reduce perioperative mortality as suggested by randomized evidence. Design and Setting: A web-based international consensus conference. Participants: More than 1,000 physicians from 77 countries participated in this web-based consensus conference. Interventions: Systematic literature searches (MEDLINE/PubMed, June 8, 2011) were used to identify the papers with a statistically significant effect on mortality together with contacts with experts. Interventions were considered eligible for evaluation if they (1) were published in peer-reviewed journals, (2) dealt with a nonsurgical intervention (drug/technique/strategy) in adult patients undergoing surgery, and (3) provided a statistically significant mortality increase or reduction as suggested by a randomized trial or meta-analysis of randomized trials. Measurements and Main Results: Fourteen interventions that might change perioperative mortality in adult surgery were identified. Interventions that might reduce mortality include chlorhexidine oral rinse, clonidine, insulin, intra-aortic balloon pump, leukodepletion, levosimendan, neuraxial anesthesia, noninvasive respiratory support, hemodynamic optimization, oxygen, selective decontamination of the digestive tract, and volatile anesthetics. In contrast, aprotinin and extended-release metoprolol might increase mortality. Conclusions: Future research and health care funding should be directed toward studying and evaluating these interventions

Reducing mortality in acute kidney injury patients: systematic review and international web-based survey

OBJECTIVE: To identify all interventions that increase or reduce mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and to establish the agreement between stated beliefs and actual practice in this setting. DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic literature review and international web-based survey. PARTICIPANTS: More than 300 physicians from 62 countries. INTERVENTIONS: Several databases, including MEDLINE/PubMed, were searched with no time limits (updated February 14, 2012) to identify all the drugs/techniques/strategies that fulfilled all the following criteria: (a) published in a peer-reviewed journal, (b) dealing with critically ill adult patients with or at risk for acute kidney injury, and (c) reporting a statistically significant reduction or increase in mortality. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 18 identified interventions, 15 reduced mortality and 3 increased mortality. Perioperative hemodynamic optimization, albumin in cirrhotic patients, terlipressin for hepatorenal syndrome type 1, human immunoglobulin, peri-angiography hemofiltration, fenoldopam, plasma exchange in multiple-myeloma-associated AKI, increased intensity of renal replacement therapy (RRT), CVVH in severely burned patients, vasopressin in septic shock, furosemide by continuous infusion, citrate in continuous RRT, N-acetylcysteine, continuous and early RRT might reduce mortality in critically ill patients with or at risk for AKI; positive fluid balance, hydroxyethyl starch and loop diuretics might increase mortality in critically ill patients with or at risk for AKI. Web-based opinion differed from consensus opinion for 30% of interventions and self-reported practice for 3 interventions. CONCLUSION: The authors identified all interventions with at least 1 study suggesting a significant effect on mortality in patients with or at risk of AKI and found that there is discordance between participant stated beliefs and actual practice regarding these topics

Randomized Evidence for Reduction of Perioperative Mortality

Objective: With more than 220 million major surgical procedures performed annually, perioperative interventions leading to even minor mortality reductions would save thousands of lives per year. This international consensus conference aimed to identify all nonsurgical interventions that increase or reduce perioperative mortality as suggested by randomized evidence. Design and Setting: A web-based international consensus conference. Participants: More than 1,000 physicians from 77 countries participated in this web-based consensus conference. Interventions: Systematic literature searches (MEDLINE/PubMed, June 8, 2011) were used to identify the papers with a statistically significant effect on mortality together with contacts with experts. Interventions were considered eligible for evaluation if they (1) were published in peer-reviewed journals, (2) dealt with a nonsurgical intervention (drug/technique/strategy) in adult patients undergoing surgery, and (3) provided a statistically significant mortality increase or reduction as suggested by a randomized trial or meta-analysis of randomized trials. Measurements and Main Results: Fourteen interventions that might change perioperative mortality in adult surgery were identified. Interventions that might reduce mortality include chlorhexidine oral rinse, clonidine, insulin, intra-aortic balloon pump, leukodepletion, levosimendan, neuraxial anesthesia, noninvasive respiratory support, hemodynamic optimization, oxygen, selective decontamination of the digestive tract, and volatile anesthetics. In contrast, aprotinin and extended-release metoprolol might increase mortality. Conclusions: Future research and health care funding should be directed toward studying and evaluating these interventions. © 2012 Elsevier Inc

Randomized Evidence for Reduction of Perioperative Mortality

Objective: With more than 220 million major surgical procedures performed annually, perioperative interventions leading to even minor mortality reductions would save thousands of lives per year. This international consensus conference aimed to identify all nonsurgical interventions that increase or reduce perioperative mortality as suggested by randomized evidence. Design and Setting: A web-based international consensus conference. Participants: More than 1,000 physicians from 77 countries participated in this web-based consensus conference. Interventions: Systematic literature searches (MEDLINE/Pub Med, June 8, 2011) were used to identify the papers with a statistically significant effect on mortality together with contacts with experts. Interventions were considered eligible for evaluation if they (1) were published in peer-reviewed journals, (2) dealt with a nonsurgical intervention (drug/technique/strategy) in adult patients undergoing surgery, and (3) provided a statistically significant mortality increase or reduction as suggested by a randomized trial or meta-analysis of randomized trials. Measurements and Main Results: Fourteen interventions that might change perioperative mortality in adult surgery were identified. Interventions that might reduce mortality include chlorhexidine oral rinse, clonidine, insulin, intra-aortic balloon pump, leukodepletion, levosimendan, neuraxial anesthesia, noninvasive respiratory support, hemodynamic optimization, oxygen, selective decontamination of the digestive tract, and volatile anesthetics. In contrast, aprotinin and extended-release metoprolol might increase mortality. Conclusions: Future research and health care funding should be directed toward studying and evaluating these interventions

Regular Wine Consumption in Chronic Heart Failure: Impact on Outcomes, Quality of Life, and Circulating Biomarkers

Background-Moderate, regular alcohol consumption is generally associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events but data in patients with chronic heart failure are scarce. We evaluated the relations between wine consumption, health status, circulating biomarkers, and clinical outcomes in a large Italian population of patients with chronic heart failure enrolled in a multicenter clinical trial. Methods and Results-A brief questionnaire on dietary habits was administered at baseline to 6973 patients enrolled in the Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure (GISSI-HF) trial. The relations between wine consumption, fatal and nonfatal clinical end points, quality of life, symptoms of depression, and circulating biomarkers of cardiac function and inflammation (in subsets of patients) were evaluated with simple and multivariable-adjusted statistical models. Almost 56% of the patients reported drinking at least 1 glass of wine per day. After adjustment, clinical outcomes were not significantly different in the predefined 4 groups of wine consumption. However, patients with more frequent wine consumption had a significantly better perception of health status (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score, adjusted P<0.0001), less frequent symptoms of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, adjusted P=0.01), and lower plasma levels of biomarkers of vascular inflammation (osteoprotegerin and C-terminal proendothelin-1, adjusted P<0.0001, and pentraxin-3, P=0.01) after adjusting for possible confounders. Conclusions-We show for the first time in a large cohort of patients with chronic heart failure that moderate wine consumption is associated with a better perceived and objective health status, lower prevalence of depression, and less vascular inflammation, but does not translate into more favorable clinical 4-year outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT0033633