Fighting Depression at Christmas

Depression is a hard thing to understand and an even harder thing to explain. But you don’t have to ‘get it’ to help your loved ones this holiday season. Posting about factors that contribute to depression from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world. http://inallthings.org/fighting-depression-at-christmas

Surgery for aortic stenosis : with special reference to myocardial metabolism, postoperative heart failure and long-term outcome

Postoperative heart failure (PHF) remains a major determinant of the outcome after cardiac surgery. However, characteristics of and risk factors for PHF after valve surgery have received little attention. Post-ischaemic disturbances of myocardial metabolism that may contribute to PHF and are amenable to metabolic treatment have been identified early after coronary surgery (CABG). Knowledge derived from these studies may not be applicable to other patient groups. We therefore studied myocardial energy metabolism in 20 elective patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for isolated aortic stenosis (AS). The metabolic studies indicated that myocardial oxidative metabolism had not fully recovered when the procedure was completed. Free fatty acids were the only major substrates taken up by the heart. Signs of preoperative and postoperative metabolic adaptation with substantial uptake of glutamate, previously demonstrated in patients with coronary artery disease, were found. Postoperative infusion of glutamate, (2 mL/kg body weight and hour of 0.125 M solution) based on assessment of myocardial glutamate requirements in CABG patients, resulted in a two-fold increase in myocardial glutamate uptake and a seven-fold increase in AV differences across the leg. This was associated with a significant myocardial uptake of lactate and metabolic changes in the leg suggesting mitigation of net amino acid loss and peripheral tissue lipolysis. Characteristics of and risk factors for PHF were evaluated in 398 patients undergoing isolated AVR for AS from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2000. These were compared with 398 patients, matched for age and sex, undergoing on-pump isolated CABG. Forty-five AVR and 47 CABG patients fulfilled criteria for PHF and these were studied in detail. PHF usually presented at weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. After CABG it was closely associated with preoperative ischaemic events and intraoperatively acquired myocardial infarction. Potential causes and eliciting events of PHF after AVR for AS were obvious only in one-third of the patients. Risk factors for PHF after AVR for AS indicated either pre-existing myocardial dysfunction, increased right or left ventricular after-load, or intraoperatively acquired myocardial injury. PHF was associated with high early mortality after CABG, whereas the consequences of PHF after AVR for AS became evident only with time, resulting in a 42% five-year mortality. Although PHF had a different temporal impact on late mortality after CABG and AVR for AS, it emerged as the statistically most significant risk factor for mortality occurring within 5 years from surgery both after AVR for AS and after CABG. Potential implications of our findings include needs for greater focus on preoperative surveillance of patients with AS for optimal timing of surgery, mitigation of intraoperatively acquired myocardial injury and tailoring of treatment for PHF. Furthermore, the findings have implications for long-term follow up of AS patients after surgery

N.B.: When citing this work, cite the original article. Original Publication:

Mixed venous oxygen saturation predicts shortand long-term outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a retrospective cohort analysi

SURGERY FOR AORTIC STENOSIS

with special reference to myocardial metabolism, postoperative heart failure and long-term outcom

Mixed venous oxygen saturation predicts short- and long-term outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a retrospective cohort analysis

Background. Complications of an inadequate haemodynamic state are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Unfortunately, commonly used methods to assess haemodynamic status are not well documented with respect to outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate SV(O2) as a prognostic marker for short-and long-term outcome in a large unselected coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) cohort and in subgroups with or without treatment for intraoperative heart failure. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethods. Two thousand seven hundred and fifty-five consecutive CABG patients and subgroups comprising 344 patients with and 2411 patients without intraoperative heart failure, respectively, were investigated. SV(O2) was routinely measured on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). The mean (SD) follow-up was 10.2 (1.5) yr. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults. The best cut-off for 30 day mortality related to heart failure based on receiver-operating characteristic analysis was SV(O2) 60.1%. Patients with SV(O2) andlt;60% had higher 30 day mortality (5.4% vs 1.0%; P andlt; 0.0001) and lower 5 yr survival (81.4% vs 90.5%; P andlt; 0.0001). The incidences of perioperative myocardial infarction, renal failure, and stroke were also significantly higher, leading to a longer ICU stay. Similar prognostic information was obtained in the subgroups that were admitted to ICU with or without treatment for intraoperative heart failure. In patients admitted to ICU without treatment for intraoperative heart failure and SV(O2) andgt;= 60%, 30 day mortality was 0.5% and 5 yr survival 92.1%. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions. SV(O2) andlt;60% on admission to ICU was related to worse short- and long-term outcome after CABG, regardless of whether the patients were admitted to ICU with or without treatment for intraoperative heart failure.Funding Agencies|Östergotlands Läns Landsting||Linköping University Hospital|

Mixed venous oxygen saturation predicts short- and long-term outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a retrospective cohort analysis

Background. Complications of an inadequate haemodynamic state are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Unfortunately, commonly used methods to assess haemodynamic status are not well documented with respect to outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate SV(O2) as a prognostic marker for short-and long-term outcome in a large unselected coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) cohort and in subgroups with or without treatment for intraoperative heart failure. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethods. Two thousand seven hundred and fifty-five consecutive CABG patients and subgroups comprising 344 patients with and 2411 patients without intraoperative heart failure, respectively, were investigated. SV(O2) was routinely measured on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). The mean (SD) follow-up was 10.2 (1.5) yr. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults. The best cut-off for 30 day mortality related to heart failure based on receiver-operating characteristic analysis was SV(O2) 60.1%. Patients with SV(O2) andlt;60% had higher 30 day mortality (5.4% vs 1.0%; P andlt; 0.0001) and lower 5 yr survival (81.4% vs 90.5%; P andlt; 0.0001). The incidences of perioperative myocardial infarction, renal failure, and stroke were also significantly higher, leading to a longer ICU stay. Similar prognostic information was obtained in the subgroups that were admitted to ICU with or without treatment for intraoperative heart failure. In patients admitted to ICU without treatment for intraoperative heart failure and SV(O2) andgt;= 60%, 30 day mortality was 0.5% and 5 yr survival 92.1%. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions. SV(O2) andlt;60% on admission to ICU was related to worse short- and long-term outcome after CABG, regardless of whether the patients were admitted to ICU with or without treatment for intraoperative heart failure.Funding Agencies|Östergotlands Läns Landsting||Linköping University Hospital|

Evaluation of the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 Criteria for Myocardial Infarction in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: A Prospective Observational Study

Objective To evaluate the relevance of the individual components of the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 criteria for periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The association between biomarkers and adverse procedural outcome has been established. However, the additive prognostic importance of signs and symptoms are more uncertain. Methods A total of 125 consecutive TAVI patients were prospectively included in this study. Biomarkers for MI were analyzed and signs and symptoms according to VARC-2 criteria were collected from clinical records. Results The criteria of elevated biomarkers and of signs or symptoms were found in 27 (22%) and 32 (26%) of the patients, respectively. According to VARC-2 definition, 12 (10%) had MI. VARC-2 definition of MI, Troponin T (TnT) greater than 600 ng/L, and presence of signs or symptoms correlated with 6 months mortality, prolonged ICU stay, elevation of N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide, and renal impairment. No signs or symptoms were found in 7 (44%) of the patients who fulfilled the criterion of elevated TnT greater than 600 ng/L. In the group with positive TnT criterion, there were no significant differences between those with and without signs or symptoms in respect to levels of TnT (1014 [585-1720] ng/L versus 704 [515-905] ng/L, p = 0.17) or creatine kinase-MB (36 [25-52] mu g/L versus 29 [25-39] mu g/L, p = 0.32). In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, TnT greater than 600 ng/L was the only significant independent variable associated with 6-months postprocedural mortality. Conclusions Myocardial injury in TAVI, measured with biomarkers, correlates well with adverse procedural outcome. In this study it is also the strongest predictor for early postprocedural mortality. The additional requirement of signs or symptoms for the diagnosis of MI results in omission of a considerable number of clinically significant MI.Funding Agencies|Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden [FORSS-12657, FORSS-23891, FORSS-159851, FORSS-311341]; ALF founding, County Council of Ostergotland, Sweden</p

Cox-maze IV cryoablation and postoperative heart failure in mitral valve surgery patients

OBJECTIVE: The indications for and the risk and benefit of concomitant surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been fully delineated. Our aim was to survey whether the Cox-maze IV procedure is associated with postoperative heart failure (PHF) or other adverse short-term outcomes after mitral valve surgery (MVS). DESIGN: Consecutive patients with AF undergoing MVS with (n = 50) or without (n = 66) concomitant Cox-maze IV cryoablation were analysed regarding perioperative data and one-year mortality. RESULTS: The patients in the Maze group were younger, were in lower NYHA classes, had better right ventricular function and had lower pulmonary artery pressure. The Maze group had 30 min longer median cross-clamp time (CCT) and 50% had PHF compared with 33% in the No-maze group, p = 0.09. Two patients in the No-maze group died within one year of surgery. Congestive heart failure (OR 4.3 [CI 95%: 1.8-10], p &lt; 0.0001) and CCT (OR 1.03 [CI 95%: 1.01-1.04], p = 0.001) were associated with PHF. CONCLUSION: The current data cannot exclude that concomitant cryoablation increases the risk for PHF, possibly by increasing the cross clamp time.Funding agencies: ALF funding, County Council of Ostergotland, Sweden</p