Kinematic and spermatic recovery after selection by centrifugation in colloid solutions of ovine cryopreserved semen

ABSTRACT Frozen and thawed ovine semen undergo morphological and functional changes that prevent or decrease the efficiency of fertilization. Sperm selection methods seek to improve the quality and viability of the fertilizing materials. Four sperm selection methods were employed, using two silica colloidal solutions coated with silane (silica colloidal-silane) or by polyvinylpyrrolidone (silica colloidal-PVP), and varying the volume of colloidal solution. Sperm kinematic and sperm recovery were evaluated by means of CASA. The protocols using silica colloidal-silane showed higher total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM) and percentage of rapid sperm (%RAP) compared to the methods employing silica colloidal-PVP and to the samples prior to sperm selection. The silica colloidal-PVP had greater sperm recovery compared to the silica colloidal-silane. Only the method using 4mL of silica colloidal-PVP was not efficient in selecting samples with better quality compared to the samples analyzed prior to sperm selection. The methods using lower volumes of colloidal solution did not differ from those using higher volumes and the best results were shown by the method with 1mL silica colloidal-silane. The results found in the study indicated greater efficiency of the silica colloidal-silane solution for sperm selection of thawed ovine semen when compared to selection using silica colloidal-PVP. The method using 1mL of silica colloidal-silane was equally efficient to the method with higher volume, presenting itself as an alternative to process samples with lower sperm concentration

Cardiac damage and quality of life after aortic valve replacement in the PARTNER trials

BACKGROUND The extent of extravalvular cardiac damage is associated with increased risk of adverse events among patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). OBJECTIVES The goal was to describe the association of cardiac damage on health status before and after AVR. METHODS Patients from the PARTNER (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves) 2 and 3 trials were pooled and classified by echocardiographic cardiac damage stage at baseline and 1 year as previously described (stage 0-4). We examined the association between baseline cardiac damage and 1-year health status (assessed by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Overall Score [KCCQ-OS]). RESULTS Among 1,974 patients (794 surgical AVR, 1,180 transcatheter AVR), the extent of cardiac damage at baseline was associated with lower KCCQ scores both at baseline and at 1 year after AVR (P = 10 points) at 1 year (stages 0-4: 10.6% vs 19.6% vs 29.0% vs 44.7% vs 39.8%; P = 1 stage thorn 26.8 [95% CI: 24.2-29.4] vs no change thorn 21.4 [95% CI: 20.0-22.7] vs deterioration of >= 1 stage thorn 17.5 [95% CI: 15.4-19.5]; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The extent of cardiac damage before AVR has an important impact on health status outcomes, both cross-sectionally and after AVR. (PARTNER II Trial: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valves II -XT Intermediate and High Risk (PII A), NCT01314313; The PARTNER II Trial: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valves -PII B [PARTNERII B], NCT02184442; PARTNER 3 Trial: Safety and Effectiveness of the SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve in Low Risk Patients With Aortic Stenosis [P3], NCT02675114) (J Am Coll Cardiol 2023;81:743-752) (c) 2023 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.Radiolog

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement for Degenerated Bioprosthetic Valves and Failed Annuloplasty Rings

Cardiolog

Association between transcatheter aortic valve replacement and subsequent infective endocarditis and in-hospital death

Importance Limited data exist on clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients who had infective endocarditis after undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Objective To determine the associated factors, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients who had infective endocarditis after TAVR. Design, Setting, and Participants The Infectious Endocarditis after TAVR International Registry included patients with definite infective endocarditis after TAVR from 47 centers from Europe, North America, and South America between June 2005 and October 2015. EXPOSURE Transcatheter aortic valve replacement for incidence of infective endocarditis and infective endocarditis for in-hospital mortality. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Infective endocarditis and in-hospital mortality after infective endocarditis. Results A total of 250 cases of infective endocarditis occurred in 20 006 patients after TAVR (incidence, 1.1% per person-year; 95% CI, 1.1%-1.4%; median age, 80 years; 64% men). Median time from TAVR to infective endocarditis was 5.3 months (interquartile range [IQR], 1.5-13.4 months). The characteristics associated with higher risk of progressing to infective endocarditis after TAVR was younger age (78.9 years vs 81.8 years; hazard ratio [HR], 0.97 per year; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99), male sex (62.0% vs 49.7%; HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.13-2.52), diabetes mellitus (41.7% vs 30.0%; HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.02-2.29), and moderate to severe aortic regurgitation (22.4% vs 14.7%; HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.28-3.28). Health care?associated infective endocarditis was present in 52.8% (95% CI, 46.6%-59.0%) of patients. Enterococci species and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently isolated microorganisms (24.6%; 95% CI, 19.1%-30.1% and 23.3%; 95% CI, 17.9%-28.7%, respectively). The in-hospital mortality rate was 36% (95% CI, 30.0%-41.9%; 90 deaths; 160 survivors), and surgery was performed in 14.8% (95% CI, 10.4%-19.2%) of patients during the infective endocarditis episode. In-hospital mortality was associated with a higher logistic EuroSCORE (23.1% vs 18.6%; odds ratio [OR], 1.03 per 1% increase; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05), heart failure (59.3% vs 23.7%; OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.74-6.45), and acute kidney injury (67.4% vs 31.6%; OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.42-5.11). The 2-year mortality rate was 66.7% (95% CI, 59.0%-74.2%; 132 deaths; 115 survivors). Conclusions and Relevance Among patients undergoing TAVR, younger age, male sex, history of diabetes mellitus, and moderate to severe residual aortic regurgitation were significantly associated with an increased risk of infective endocarditis. Patients who developed endocarditis had high rates of in-hospital mortality and 2-year mortality

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Pure Native Aortic Valve Regurgitation

Cardiolog

Allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: The Dilated cardiomYopathy iNtervention with Allogeneic MyocardIally-regenerative Cells (DYNAMIC) trial

Aims: The DYNAMIC trial assessed the safety and explored the efficacy of multivessel intracoronary infusion of allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Here we report the results of the DYNAMIC trial. Methods and results: We enrolled 14 patients with EF ≤35% and NYHA Class III-IV despite maximal medical and device-based therapy in this single-centre, open-label trial. Intracoronary catheterisation delivered four escalating doses (totalling 37.5-75 million cells) by sequential non-occlusive technique to all three major coronary arteries. The primary safety endpoint was a composite of post-infusion TIMI flow, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation, sudden death, major adverse cardiac events or acute myocarditis within 72 hours. Twelve patients were male and EF averaged 23.0% (±4.5%). No primary safety endpoints were observed. Two patients died of HFrEF progression nine and 12 months following infusion. Compared to baseline, there was an improvement in EF (26.8% vs 22.9%, p=0.023) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (139.5 vs 177.8 cm3, p=0.03) at six months. Quality of life (QoL) scores and NYHA class (p=0.006) improved at six months. At 12 months, the improvement in EF and QoL remained significant. Conclusions: Global intracoronary infusion of allogeneic CDCs is safe and feasible. The efficacy of allogeneic CDCs in HFrEF needs to be tested in larger randomised trials. © Europa Digital &amp; Publishing 2020. All rights reserved

Intracoronary ALLogeneic heart STem cells to Achieve myocardial Regeneration (ALLSTAR): A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial

Aims Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) are cardiac progenitor cells that exhibit disease-modifying bioactivity in various models of cardiomyopathy and in previous clinical studies of acute myocardial infarction (MI), dilated cardiomyopathy, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of intracoronary administration of allogeneic CDCs in the multicentre, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, intracoronary ALLogeneic heart STem cells to Achieve myocardial Regeneration (ALLSTAR) trial. Methods and We enrolled patients 4 weeks to 12 months after MI, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &lt;_45% and LV results scar size &gt;_15% of LV mass by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A pre-specified interim analysis was performed when 6-month MRI data were available. The trial was subsequently stopped due to the low probability of detecting a significant treatment effect of CDCs based on the primary endpoint. Patients were randomly allocated in a 2:1 ratio to receive CDCs or placebo in the infarct-related artery by stop-flow technique. The primary safety endpoint was the occurrence, during 1-month post-intracoronary infusion, of acute myocarditis attributable to allogeneic CDCs, ventricular tachycardia- or ventricular fibrillation-related death, sudden unexpected death, or a major adverse cardiac event (death or hospitalization for heart failure or non-fatal MI or need for left ventricular assist device or heart transplant). The primary efficacy endpoint was the relative percentage change in infarct size at 12 months post-infusion as assessed by contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI. We randomly allocated 142 eligible patients of whom 134 were treated (90 to the CDC group and 44 to the placebo group). The mean baseline LVEF was 40% and the mean scar size was 22% of LV mass. No primary safety endpoint events occurred. There was no difference in the percentage change from baseline in scar size (P = 0.51) between CDCs and placebo groups at 6 months. Compared with placebo, there were significant reductions in LV end-diastolic volume (P = 0.02), LV end-systolic volume (P = 0.02), and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (P = 0.02) at 6 months in CDC-treated patients. Conclusion Intracoronary infusion of allogeneic CDCs in patients with post-MI LV dysfunction was safe but did not reduce scar size relative to placebo at 6 months. Nevertheless, the reductions in LV volumes and NT-proBNP reveal disease-modifying bioactivity of CDCs. © 2020 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

Outcomes After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair According to Mitral Regurgitation Etiology and Cardiac Remodeling

BACKGROUND Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) has been increasingly used for selected patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), but limited data are available regarding clinical outcomes in patients with varied etiology and mechanism of MR.OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of TEER according to etiology and left ventricular (LV) and left atrial remodeling.METHODS Consecutive patients who underwent TEER between 2007 and 2020 were included in the analysis. Among patients with functional MR (FMR), those with predominant LV remodeling were classified as having ventricular FMR (v-FMR), whereas those without LV remodeling but predominant left atrial remodeling were classified as having atrial FMR (a-FMR). The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization at 2 years and was compared among patients with degenerative MR (DMR), a-FMR, and v-FMR.RESULTS A total of 1,044 patients (11% with a-FMR, 48% with v-FMR, and 41% with DMR) with a mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 8.6 +/- 7.8 underwent TEER. Patients with a-FMR had higher rates of atrial fibrillation and severe tricuspid regurgitation with larger left and right atria, whereas patients with v-FMR had lower LV ejection fractions with larger LV dimensions. Residual MR more than moderate at discharge was not significantly different among the 3 groups (5.2% vs 3.2% vs 2.6%; P = 0.37). Compared with patients with DMR, 2-year event rates of the primary outcome were significantly higher in patients with a-FMR and v-FMR (21.6% vs 31.5% vs 42.3%; log-rank P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS Despite excellent procedural outcomes, patients with a-FMR and v-FMR had worse clinical outcomes compared with those with DMR. (c) 2022 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation