Spatial and temporal expression of the 23 murine Prolactin/Placental Lactogen-related genes is not associated with their position in the locus

Background: The Prolactin (PRL) hormone gene family shows considerable variation among placental mammals. Whereas there is a single PRL gene in humans that is expressed by the pituitary, there are an additional 22 genes in mice including the placental lactogens (PL) and Prolactin-related proteins (PLPs) whose expression is limited to the placenta. To understand the regulation and potential functions of these genes, we conducted a detailed temporal and spatial expression study in the placenta between embryonic days 7.5 and E18.5 in three genetic strains

Descending aortic calcification increases renal dysfunction and in-hospital mortality in cardiac surgery patients with intraaortic balloon pump counterpulsation placed perioperatively : a case control study

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery increases length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality. A significant number of patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures require perioperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support. Use of an IABP has been linked to an increased incidence of perioperative renal dysfunction and death. This might be due to dislodgement of atherosclerotic material in the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). Therefore, we retrospectively studied the correlation between DTA atheroma, AKI and in-hospital mortality. Methods: A total of 454 patients were retrospectively matched to one of four groups: -IABP/-DTA atheroma, +IABP/-DTA atheroma, -IABP/+DTA atheroma, +IABP/+DTA atheroma. Patients were then matched according to presence/absence of DTA atheroma, presence/absence of IABP, performed surgical procedure, age, gender and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). DTA atheroma was assessed through standard transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) imaging studies of the descending thoracic aorta. Results: Basic patient characteristics, except for age and gender, did not differ between groups. Perioperative AKI in patients with -DTA atheroma/+IABP was 5.1% versus 1.7% in patients with -DTA atheroma/-IABP. In patients with +DTA atheroma/+IABP the incidence of AKI was 12.6% versus 5.1% in patients with +DTA atheroma/-IABP. In-hospital mortality in patients with +DTA atheroma/-IABP was 3.4% versus 8.4% with +DTA atheroma/+IABP. In patients with +DTA atheroma/+IABP in hospital mortality was 20.2% versus 6.4% with +DTA atheroma/-IABP. Multivariate logistic regression identified DTA atheroma > 1 mm (P = *0.002, odds ratio (OR) = 4.13, confidence interval (CI) = 1.66 to 10.30), as well as IABP support (P = *0.015, OR = 3.04, CI = 1.24 to 7.45) as independent predictors of perioperative AKI and increased in-hospital mortality. DTA atheroma in conjunction with IABP significantly increased the risk of developing acute kidney injury (P = 0.0016) and in-hospital mortality (P = 0.0001) when compared to control subjects without IABP and without DTA atheroma. Conclusions: Perioperative IABP and DTA atheroma are independent predictors of perioperative AKI and in-hospital mortality. Whether adding an IABP in patients with severe DTA calcification increases their risk of developing AKI and mortality postoperatively cannot be clearly answered in this study. Nevertheless, when IABP and DTA are combined, patients are more likely to develop AKI and to die postoperatively in comparison to patients without IABP and DTA atheroma

Effect of preoperative statins in patients without coronary artery disease who undergo cardiac surgery

Objective3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to have pleiotropic effects in addition to their lipid-lowering properties. Some studies have shown the beneficial effect of preoperative statins on operative outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting. However, the effect of preoperative statins in patients without coronary artery disease who undergo cardiac surgery remains poorly defined.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of 1389 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery between January of 2002 and December of 2005. Patients undergoing concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery and those with a history of myocardial infarction and coronary interventions were excluded. Of this cohort, 363 patients were receiving a statin preoperatively and 1026 patients were not. Propensity scores were constructed with patients' demographics, clinical data, and the year of procedure. Generalized estimating equations, including the propensity score as a covariate, were used to investigate whether preoperative statin use is associated with improved operative outcomes.ResultsThe crude operative mortality rate was 0.8% and 2.3%, the incidence of stroke was 1.7% and 2.9%, and the incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction was 2.2% and 2.4% in the statin and non-statin groups, respectively. Generalized estimating equations showed that preoperative statin use is associated with lower mortality (odds ratio: 0.25, 95% confidential interval: 0.12–0.54). Preoperative statin use was not significantly associated with an incidence of stroke (odds ratio: 0.48, 95% confidential interval: 0.19–1.22) or perioperative myocardial infarction (odds ratio: 0.91, 95% confidential interval: 0.43–1.91) in this cohort.ConclusionPreoperative use of statins may improve operative outcomes in patients without coronary artery disease who undergo cardiac surgery

Predictors of hyperglycemia after cardiac surgery in nondiabetic patients

Postoperative hyperglycemia is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. However, some experts consider hyperglycemia to be an epiphenomenon related to acute stress. We investigated whether preoperative patient characteristics can predict hyperglycemia after cardiac surgery in nondiabetic patients. This is a retrospective study of nondiabetic patients undergoing cardiac surgery at a single center during the years 2004 to 2009. Hyperglycemia was defined as 2 consecutive blood glucose readings of 150 mg/dL or greater during the 72 hours after cardiac surgery. This study included 1453 patients with hyperglycemia and 2205 patients without hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemic patients were older, were more likely to be men, had higher body mass index, were more likely to be hypertensive and hypercholesterolemic, and had lower left ventricular ejection fractions; in addition, a greater proportion had a history of cardiovascular disease and renal failure. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed age, gender, body mass index, preoperative serum creatinine, left ventricular ejection fraction, previous cardiac surgery, and preoperative cardiogenic shock to be independently associated with hyperglycemia (P < .05 for all). Hyperglycemic patients had more intraoperative and postoperative complications. Preoperative patient characteristics are associated with hyperglycemia after cardiac surgery

Long-acting subcutaneously administered insulin for glycemic control immediately after cardiac surgery

To test the hypothesis that subcutaneous administration of basal insulin begun immediately after cardiac surgery can decrease the need for insulin infusion in patients without diabetes and save nursing time. After cardiac surgery, 36 adult patients without diabetes were randomly assigned to receive either standard treatment (control group) or insulin glargine once daily in addition to standard treatment (basal insulin group). Standard treatment included blood glucose measurements every 1 to 4 hours and intermittent insulin infusion to maintain blood glucose levels between 100 and 150 mg/dL. The study period lasted up to 72 hours. There were no differences in demographics or baseline laboratory characteristics of the 2 study groups. Mean daily blood glucose levels were lower in the basal insulin group in comparison with the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (129.3 ± 9.4 mg/dL versus 132.6 ± 7.3 mg/dL; P = .25). The mean duration of insulin infusion was significantly shorter in the basal insulin group than in the control group (16.3 ± 10.7 hours versus 26.6 ± 17.3 hours; P = .04). Nurses tested blood glucose a mean of 8.3 ± 3.5 times per patient per day in the basal insulin group and 12.0 ± 4.7 times per patient per day in the control group (P = .01). There was no occurrence of hypoglycemia (blood glucose level <60 mg/dL) in either group. Once-daily insulin glargine is safe and may decrease the duration of insulin infusion and reduce nursing time in patients without diabetes who have hyperglycemia after cardiac surgery

Protein Intake, Nutritional Status and Outcomes in ICU Survivors: A Single Center Cohort Study

Background: We hypothesized that protein delivery during hospitalization in patients who survived critical care would be associated with outcomes following hospital discharge. Methods: We studied 801 patients, age &ge; 18 years, who received critical care between 2004 and 2012 and survived hospitalization. All patients underwent a registered dietitian formal assessment within 48 h of ICU admission. The exposure of interest, grams of protein per kilogram body weight delivered per day, was determined from all oral, enteral and parenteral sources for up to 28 days. Adjusted odds ratios for all cause 90-day post-discharge mortality were estimated by mixed- effects logistic regression models. Results: The 90-day post-discharge mortality was 13.9%. The mean nutrition delivery days recorded was 15. In a mixed-effect logistic regression model adjusted for age, gender, race, Deyo-Charlson comorbidity index, acute organ failures, sepsis and percent energy needs met, the 90-day post-discharge mortality rate was 17% (95% CI: 6&ndash;26) lower for each 1 g/kg increase in daily protein delivery (OR = 0.83 (95% CI 0.74&ndash;0.94; p = 0.002)). Conclusions: Adult medical ICU patients with improvements in daily protein intake during hospitalization who survive hospitalization have decreased odds of mortality in the 3 months following hospital discharge