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Multiorgan recovery in a cadaver body using mild hypothermic ECMO treatment in a murine model
(2023)
Background
Transplant candidates on the waiting list are increasingly challenged by the lack of organs. Most of the organs can only be kept viable within very limited timeframes (e.g., mere 4–6 h for heart and lungs exposed to refrigeration temperatures ex vivo). Donation after circulatory death (DCD) using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can significantly enlarge the donor pool, organ yield per donor, and shelf life. Nevertheless, clinical attempts to recover organs for transplantation after uncontrolled DCD are extremely complex and hardly reproducible. Therefore, as a preliminary strategy to fulfill this task, experimental protocols using feasible animal models are highly warranted. The primary aim of the study was to develop a model of ECMO-based cadaver organ recovery in mice. Our model mimics uncontrolled organ donation after an “out-of-hospital” sudden unexpected death with subsequent “in-hospital” cadaver management post-mortem. The secondary aim was to assess blood gas parameters, cardiac activity as well as overall organ state. The study protocol included post-mortem heparin–streptokinase administration 10 min after confirmed death induced by cervical dislocation under full anesthesia. After cannulation, veno-arterial ECMO (V–A ECMO) was started 1 h after death and continued for 2 h under mild hypothermic conditions followed by organ harvest. Pressure- and flow-controlled oxygenated blood-based reperfusion of a cadaver body was accompanied by blood gas analysis (BGA), electrocardiography, and histological evaluation of ischemia–reperfusion injury. For the first time, we designed and implemented, a not yet reported, miniaturized murine hemodialysis circuit for the treatment of severe hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis post-mortem.
Results
BGA parameters confirmed profound ischemia typical for cadavers and incompatible with normal physiology, including extremely low blood pH, profound negative base excess, and enormously high levels of lactate. Two hours after ECMO implantation, blood pH values of a cadaver body restored from < 6.5 to 7.3 ± 0.05, pCO2 was lowered from > 130 to 41.7 ± 10.5 mmHg, sO2, base excess, and HCO3 were all elevated from below detection thresholds to 99.5 ± 0.6%, − 4 ± 6.2 and 22.0 ± 6.0 mmol/L, respectively (Student T test, p < 0.05). A substantial decrease in hyperlactatemia (from > 20 to 10.5 ± 1.7 mmol/L) and hyperkalemia (from > 9 to 6.9 ± 1.0 mmol/L) was observed when hemodialysis was implemented. On balance, the first signs of regained heart activity appeared on average 10 min after ECMO initiation without cardioplegia or any inotropic and vasopressor support. This was followed by restoration of myocardial contractility with a heart rate of up to 200 beats per minute (bpm) as detected by an electrocardiogram (ECG). Histological examinations revealed no evidence of heart injury 3 h post-mortem, whereas shock-specific morphological changes relevant to acute death and consequent cardiac/circulatory arrest were observed in the lungs, liver, and kidney of both control and ECMO-treated cadaver mice.
Conclusions
Thus, our model represents a promising approach to facilitate studying perspectives of cadaveric multiorgan recovery for transplantation. Moreover, it opens new possibilities for cadaver organ treatment to extend and potentiate donation and, hence, contribute to solving the organ shortage dilemma.
Background
The impact of sex hormones on right and left auricular contractile apparatus function is largely unknown. We evaluated the impact of sex hormones on left and right heart contractility at the level of myocardial filaments harvested from left and right auricles during elective coronary artery bypass surgery.
Methods
150 patients (132 male; 18 female) were enrolled. Preoperative testosterone and estradiol levels were measured with Immunoassay. Calcium induced force measurements were performed with left- and right auricular myofilaments in a skinned fiber model. Correlation analysis was used for comparison of force values and levels of sex hormones and their ratio.
Results
Low testosterone was associated with higher top force values in right-sided myofilaments but not in left-sided myofilaments for both sexes (p = 0.000 in males, p = 0.001 in females). Low estradiol levels were associated with higher top force values in right-sided myofilaments (p 0.000) in females and only borderline significantly associated with higher top force values in males (p 0.056). In females, low estradiol levels correlated with higher top force values in left sided myofilaments (p 0.000). In males, higher Estradiol/Testosterone ratio (E/T ratio) was only associated with higher top force values from right auricular myofilaments (p 0.04) In contrast, in females higher E/T ratio was associated with lower right auricular myofilament top force values (p 0.03) and higher top force values in left-sided myofilaments (p 0.000).
Conclusions
This study shows that patients’ comorbidities influence left and right sided contractility and may blur results concerning influence of sex hormones if not eliminated. A sex hormone dependent influence is obvious with different effects on the left and right ventricle. The E/T ratio and its impact on myofilament top force showed divergent results between genders, and may partially explain gender differences in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Background
Left atrial appendage (LAA) is the origin of most heart thrombi which can lead to stroke or other cerebrovascular event in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to prove safety and low complication rate of surgical LAA amputation using cut and sew technique with control of its effectiveness.
Methods
303 patients who have undergone selective LAA amputation were enrolled in the study in a period from 10/17 to 08/20. The LAA amputation was performed concomitant to routine cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass with cardiac arrest with or without previous history of AF. The operative and clinical data were evaluated. Extent of LAA amputation was examined intraoperatively by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Six months in follow up, the patients were controlled regarding clinical status and episodes of strokes.
Results
Average age of study population was 69.9 ± 19.2 and 81.9% of patients were male. In only three patients was residual stump after LAA amputation larger than 1 cm with average stump size 0.28 ± 0.34 cm. 3 patients (1%) developed postoperative bleeding. Postoperatively 77 (25.4%) patients developed postoperative AF (POAF), of which 29 (9.6%) still had AF at discharge. On 6 months follow up only 5 patients had NYHA class III and 1 NYHA class IV. Seven patients reported with leg oedema and no patient experienced any cerebrovascular event in early postoperative follow up.
Conclusion
LAA amputation can be performed safely and completely leaving minimal to no LAA residual stump.
The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in thoracic organ transplantation. However, multiple other factors contribute to AKI development after these procedures such as renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) due to hypo-perfusion of the kidney during surgery. In this study, we aimed to explore the kidney injury patterns in mouse models of ECMO and renal IRI. Kidneys of C57BL/6 mice were examined after moderate (35 min) and severe (45 min) unilateral transient renal pedicle clamping and 2 h of veno-venous ECMO. Renal injury markers, neutrophil infiltration, tubular transport function, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and renal heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression were determined by immunofluorescence and qPCR. Both procedures caused AKI, but with different injury patterns. Severe neutrophil infiltration of the kidney was evident after renal IRI, but not following ECMO. Tubular transport function was severely impaired after renal IRI, but preserved in the ECMO group. Both procedures caused upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the renal tissue, but with different time kinetics. After ECMO, but not IRI, HO-1 was strongly induced in tubular cells indicating contact with hemolysis-derived proteins. After IRI, HO-1 was expressed on infiltrating myeloid cells in the tubulo-interstitial space. In conclusion, renal IRI and ECMO both caused AKI, but kidney damage after renal IRI was more pronounced including severe neutrophil infiltration and tubular transport impairment. Enhanced HO-1 expression in tubular cells after ECMO encourages limitation of hemolysis as a therapeutic approach to reduce ECMO-associated AKI.
Background
Mitochondrial impairment can result from myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (IR). Despite cardioplegic arrest, IR-associated cardiodepression is a major problem in heart surgery. We determined the effect of increasing ischemia time on the respiratory chain (RC) function, the inner membrane polarization and Ca\(^{2+}\) homeostasis of rat cardiac subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM).
Methods
Wistar rat hearts were divided into 4 groups of stop-flow induced warm global IR using a pressure-controlled Langendorff system: 0, 15, 30 and 40 min of ischemia with 30 min of reperfusion, respectively. Myocardial contractility was determined from left ventricular pressure records (dP/dt, dPmax) with an intraventricular balloon. Following reperfusion, SSM were isolated and analyzed regarding electron transport chain (ETC) coupling by polarography (Clark-Type electrode), membrane polarization (JC1 fluorescence) and Ca2+-handling in terms of Ca\(^{2+}\)-induced swelling and Ca\(^{2+}\)-uptake/release (Calcium Green-5 N® fluorescence).
Results
LV contractility and systolic pressure during reperfusion were impaired by increasing ischemic times. Ischemia reduced ETC oxygen consumption in IR40/30 compared to IR0/30 at complex I-V (8.1 ± 1.2 vs. 18.2 ± 2.0 nmol/min) and II-IV/V (16.4 ± 2.6/14.8 ± 2.3 vs. 2.3 ± 0.6 nmol/min) in state 3 respiration (p < 0.01). Relative membrane potential revealed a distinct hyperpolarization in IR30/30 and IR40/30 (171.5 ± 17.4% and 170.9 ± 13.5%) compared to IR0/30 (p < 0.01), wearing off swiftly after CCCP-induced uncoupling. Excess mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP)-gated Ca\(^{2+}\)-induced swelling was recorded in all groups and was most pronounced in IR40/30. Pyruvate addition for mPTP blocking strongly reduced SSM swelling in IR40/30 (relative AUC, ± pyruvate; IR0/30: 1.00 vs. 0.61, IR15/30: 1.68 vs. 1.00, IR30/30: 1.42 vs. 0.75, IR40/30: 1.97 vs. 0.85; p < 0.01). Ca2+-uptake remained unaffected by previous IR. Though Ca\(^{2+}\)-release was delayed for ≥30 min of ischemia (p < 0.01), Ca\(^{2+}\) retention was highest in IR15/30 (RFU; IR0/30: 6.3 ± 3.6, IR 15/30 42.9 ± 5.0, IR30/30 15.9 ± 3.8, IR40/30 11.5 ± 6.6; p ≤ 0.01 for IR15/30 against all other groups).
Conclusions
Ischemia prolongation in IR injury gradually impaired SSM in terms of respiratory chain function and Ca\(^{2+}\)-homeostasis. Membrane hyperpolarization appears to be responsible for impaired Ca2+-cycling and ETC function. Ischemia time should be considered an important factor influencing IR experimental data on subsarcolemmal mitochondria. Periods of warm global ischemia should be minimized during cardiac surgery to avoid excessive damage to SSMs.
Background: The benefit of the combined use of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) for postcardiotomy shock remains unclear. We aimed to analyse the potential benefits and safety of combining these two devices. Methods: We enrolled 200 patients treated with either VA-ECMO only or in combination with IABP (ECMO-I group) between January 2012 and January 2021. To adjust the patients’ backgrounds, we used propensity score matching for additional analyses, resulting in 57 pairs. The primary endpoint was 30-day survival. Secondary endpoints included successful weaning and complication rates. We also analysed hemodynamic parameters in both groups. Results: After propensity score matching, 30-day survival was better in the ECMO-I group (log-rank p = 0.004). The ECMO-I and ECMO-only groups differed regarding the secondary endpoints, including successful weaning (50.9% and 26.3%, respectively; p = 0.012) and the need for continuous renal replacement therapy (28.1% and 50.9%, p = 0.021). Complication rates were not statistically different between the two groups. Conclusion: Compared to VA-ECMO alone, the combined use of VA-ECMO and IABP is beneficial regarding 30-day survival in selected patients with postcardiotomy shock; successful ECMO weaning and freedom from renal replacement therapy is more common in patients supported with VA-ECMO plus IABP.
Mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) devices like Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) cause more skeletal and visceral injuries than standard CPR. A 62-year-old woman with ST-elevation myocardial infarction was resuscitated with LUCAS and Impella CP for refractory cardiogenic shock during percutaneous coronary intervention. She suffered delayed ascending aortic rupture necessitating supracommissural ascending aortic replacement plus triple bypass grafting. Prolonged mechanical CPR with concomitant Impella may lead to aortic rupture. The combined use of LUCAS and Impella may have disastrous consequences.
Functional versus morphological assessment of vascular age in patients with coronary heart disease
(2021)
Communicating cardiovascular risk based on individual vascular age (VA) is a well acknowledged concept in patient education and disease prevention. VA may be derived functionally, e.g. by measurement of pulse wave velocity (PWV), or morphologically, e.g. by assessment of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether both approaches produce similar results. Within the context of the German subset of the EUROASPIRE IV survey, 501 patients with coronary heart disease underwent (a) oscillometric PWV measurement at the aortic, carotid-femoral and brachial-ankle site (PWVao, PWVcf, PWVba) and derivation of the aortic augmentation index (AIao); (b) bilateral cIMT assessment by high-resolution ultrasound at three sites (common, bulb, internal). Respective VA was calculated using published equations. According to VA derived from PWV, most patients exhibited values below chronological age indicating a counterintuitive healthier-than-anticipated vascular status: for VA(PWVao) in 68% of patients; for VA\(_{AIao}\) in 52% of patients. By contrast, VA derived from cIMT delivered opposite results: e.g. according to VA\(_{total-cIMT}\) accelerated vascular aging in 75% of patients. To strengthen the concept of VA, further efforts are needed to better standardise the current approaches to estimate VA and, thereby, to improve comparability and clinical utility.
Antimicrobial stewardship measures in cardiac surgery and its impact on surgical site infections
(2021)
Objective
The goal of this study was to monitor the compliance and impact on a protocol change of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis in cardiac surgery favouring cefazolin instead cefuroxime, initiated by the hospital’s antimicrobial stewardship team.
Methods
This quality improvement study was performed in a tertiary care hospital in collaboration with the department of cardiothoracic surgery and the hospitals antimicrobial stewardship team following a revision of the standard for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis including 1029 patients who underwent cardiac surgery. 582 patients receiving cefuroxime and 447 patients receiving cefazolin respectively were compared without altering any other preventative perioperative measures including its postoperative duration of less than 24 h. Adherence and surgical site infections were compiled and analysed.
Results
A complete adherence was achieved. Overall surgical site infections occurred in 37 (3.6%) of the cases, 20 (3.4%) in cefuroxime patients and 17 (3.8%) in cefazolin patients (p value = 0.754). No statistically significant differences could be found in any of the primary endpoints, but there was a trend towards less deep sternal wound infections in the cefazolin group.
Conclusions
The study supports the role of antimicrobial stewardship in cardiac surgery and mirrors the success of a multidisciplinary team aiming to minimize adverse events by optimizing antibiotic use.
Background
Right ventricular dysfunction after CABG is associated with poor peri- and postoperative outcomes. We aimed to identify clinical and experimental predictors for preoperative inapparent right ventricular dysfunction and therefore hypothesized that reduced myofilament force development as well as altered levels of biomarkers might predict inapparent right ventricular dysfunction.
Methods
From 08/2016 to 02/2018, 218 patients scheduled for CABG were divided into two groups (TAPSE ≥ 20 mm, n = 178; TAPSE < 20 mm, n = 40). Baseline serum samples for biomarkers (Galectin, TGFß1, N Acyl-SDMA, Arginine, ADMA and Pentraxin-3), clinical laboratory and transthoracic echocardiographic parameters were evaluated. To examine the myocardial apparatus of the right ventricle intraoperative right auricular tissue was harvested for stepwise skinned fiber force measurements.
Results
Patients with TAPSE < 20 mm had a higher incidence of DM (55 vs. 34%, p = 0.018), preoperative AFib (43 vs. 16%, p < 0.001), reduced GFR (67 ± 18 vs. 77 ± 24 ml/min/1.73 m\(^2\), p = 0.013), larger LA area (22 ± 6 vs. 20 ± 5 cm\(^2\), p = 0.005) and reduced LVEF (50 vs. 55%, p = 0.008). Furthermore, higher serum ADMA (0.70 ± 0.13 vs. 0.65 ± 0.15 µmol/l, p = 0.046) and higher serum Pentraxin-3 levels (3371 ± 1068 vs. 2681 ± 1353 pg/dl, p = 0.004) were observed in these patients. Skinned fiber force measurements showed significant lower values at almost every step of calcium concentration (pCa 4.52 to pCa 5.5, p < 0.01 and pCa 5.75–6.0, p < 0.05). Multivariable analysis revealed DM (OR 2.53, CI 1.12–5.73, Euro Score II (OR 1.34, CI 1.02–1.78), preoperative AF (OR 4.86, CI 2.06–11.47), GFR (OR 7.72, CI 1.87–31.96), albumin (OR 1.56, CI 0.52–2.60), Pentraxin-3 (OR 19.68, CI 14.13–25.24), depressed LVEF (OR 8.61, CI 6.37–10.86), lower force values: (pCa 5.4; OR 2.34, CI 0.40–4.29 and pCa 5.2; OR 2.00, CI 0.39–3.60) as predictors for clinical inapparent right heart dysfunction.
Conclusions
These preliminary data showed that inapparent right heart dysfunction in CAD is already associated with reduced force development of the contractile apparatus.
Development of predictable in vitro tumor models is a challenging task due to the enormous complexity of tumors in vivo. The closer the resemblance of these models to human tumor characteristics, the more suitable they are for drug-development and –testing. In the present study, we generated a complex 3D lung tumor test system based on acellular rat lungs. A decellularization protocol was established preserving the architecture, important ECM components and the basement membrane of the lung. Human lung tumor cells cultured on the scaffold formed cluster and exhibited an up-regulation of the carcinoma-associated marker mucin1 as well as a reduced proliferation rate compared to respective 2D culture. Additionally, employing functional imaging with 2-deoxy-2-[\(^{18}\)F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) these tumor cell cluster could be detected and tracked over time. This approach allowed monitoring of a targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment in the in vitro lung tumor model non-destructively. Surprisingly, FDG-PET assessment of single tumor cell cluster on the same scaffold exhibited differences in their response to therapy, indicating heterogeneity in the lung tumor model. In conclusion, our complex lung tumor test system features important characteristics of tumors and its microenvironment and allows monitoring of tumor growth and -metabolism in combination with functional imaging. In longitudinal studies, new therapeutic approaches and their long-term effects can be evaluated to adapt treatment regimes in future.
Background:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication after cardiac surgery that is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an enzyme synthesized in renal tubular cells as one of the most intense responses to oxidant stress linked with protective, anti-inflammatory properties. Yet, it is unknown if serum HO-1 induction following cardiac surgical procedure involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with incidence and severity of AKI.
Patients and methods:
In the present study, we used data from a prospective cohort study of 150 adult cardiac surgical patients. HO-1 measurements were performed before, immediately after and 24 hours post-CPB. In univariate and multivariate analyses, the association between HO-1 and AKI was investigated.
Results:
AKI with an incidence of 23.3% (35 patients) was not associated with an early elevation of HO-1 after CPB in all patients (P=0.88), whereas patients suffering from AKI developed a second burst of HO-1 24 hours after CBP. In patients without AKI, the HO-1 concentrations dropped to baseline values (P=0.031). Furthermore, early HO-1 induction was associated with CPB time (P=0.046), while the ones 24 hours later lost this association (P=0.219).
Conclusion:
The association of the second HO-1 burst 24 hours after CBP might help to distinguish between the causality of AKI in patients undergoing CBP, thus helping to adapt patient stratification and management.
Background:
The Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) represents the key enzyme in catecholamine degradation. Recent studies suggest that the COMT rs4680 polymorphism is associated with the response to endogenous and exogenous catecholamines. There are, however, conflicting data regarding the COMT Met/Met phenotype being associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. The aim of the current study is to prospectively investigate the impact of the COMT rs4680 polymorphism on the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Methods:
In this prospective single center cohort study consecutive patients hospitalized for elective cardiac surgery including cardiopulmonary-bypass (CPB) were screened for participation. Demographic clinical data, blood, urine and tissue samples were collected at predefined time points throughout the clinical stay. AKI was defined according to recent recommendations of the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome (KDIGO) group. Genetic analysis was performed after patient enrolment was completed.
Results:
Between April and December 2014, 150 patients were recruited. The COMT genotypes were distributed as follows: Val/Met 48.7%, Met/Met 29.3%, Val/Val 21.3%. No significant differences were found for demography, comorbidities, or operative strategy according to the underlying COMT genotype. AKI occurred in 35 patients (23.5%) of the total cohort, and no differences were evident between the COMT genotypes (20.5% Met/Met, 24.7% Val/Met, 25.0% Val/Val, p = 0.66). There were also no differences in the post-operative period, including ICU or in-hospital stay.
Conclusions:
We did not find statistically significant variations in the risk for postoperative AKI, length of ICU or in-hospital stay according to the underlying COMT genotype.
Background:
There is growing evidence from the literature that right anterior minithoracotomy aortic valve replacement (RAT-AVR) improves clinical outcome. However, increased cross clamp time is the strongest argument for surgeons not performing RAT-AVR. Rapid deployment aortic valve systems have the potential to decrease cross-clamp time and ease this procedure. We assessed clinical outcome of rapid deployment and conventional valves through RAT.
Methods:
Sixty-eight patients (mean age 76 ± 6 years, 32% females) underwent RAT-AVR between 9/2013 and 7/2015. According to the valve type implanted the patients were divided into two groups. In 43 patients (R-group; mean age 74.1 ± 6.6 years) a rapid deployment valve system (Edwards Intuity, Edwards Lifesciences Corp; Irvine, Calif) and in 25 patients (C-group; mean age 74.2 ± 6.6 years) a conventional stented biological aortic valve was implanted.
Results:
Aortic cross-clamp (42.1 ± 12 min vs. 68.3 ± 20.3 min; p < 0.001) and bypass time (80.4 ± 39.3 min vs. 106.6 ± 23.2 min; p = 0.001) were shorter in the rapid deployment group (R-group). We observed no differences in clinical outcome. Postoperative gradients (R-group: max gradient, 14.3 ± 8 mmHg vs. 15.5 ± 5 mmHg (C-group), mean gradient, 9.2 ± 1.7 mmHg (R-group) vs. 9.1 ± 2.3 mmHg (C-group) revealed no differences. However, larger prostheses were implanted in C-group (25 mm; IQR 23–27 mm vs. 23 mm; IQR 21–25; p = 0.009).
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that the rapid deployment aortic valve system reduced cross clamp and bypass time in patients undergoing RAT-AVR with similar hemodynamics as with larger size stented prosthesis. However, larger studies and long-term follow-up are mandatory to confirm our findings.
Despite medical achievements, the number of patients with end-stage kidney disease keeps steadily raising, thereby entailing a high number of surgical and interventional procedures to establish and maintain arteriovenous vascular access for hemodialysis. Due to vascular disease, aneurysms or infection, the preferred access—an autogenous arteriovenous fistula—is not always available and appropriate. Moreover, when replacing small diameter blood vessels, synthetic vascular grafts possess well-known disadvantages. A continuous multilayered gradient electrospinning was used to produce vascular grafts made of collagen type I nanofibers on luminal and adventitial graft side, and poly-ɛ-caprolactone as medial layer. Therefore, a custom-made electrospinner with robust environmental control was developed. The morphology of electrospun grafts was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and measurement of mechanical properties. Human microvascular endothelial cells were cultured in the graft under static culture conditions and compared to cultures obtained from dynamic continuous flow bioreactors. Immunofluorescent analysis showed that endothelial cells form a continuous luminal layer and functional characteristics were confirmed by uptake of acetylated low-density-lipoprotein. Incorporation of vancomycin and gentamicin to the medial graft layer allowed antimicrobial inhibition without exhibiting an adverse impact on cell viability. Most striking a physiological hemocompatibility was achieved for the multilayered grafts.
Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common comorbid condition in coronary heart disease (CHD). CKD predisposes the patient to acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalization. Data on awareness of kidney dysfunction among CHD patients and their treating physicians are lacking. In the current cross-sectional analysis of the German EUROASPIRE IV sample we aimed to investigate the physician’s awareness of kidney disease of patients hospitalized for CHD and also the patient’s awareness of CKD in a study visit following hospital discharge.
Methods
All serum creatinine (SCr) values measured during the hospital stay were used to describe impaired kidney function (eGFR\(_{CKD-EPI}\) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2) at admission, discharge and episodes of AKI (KDIGO definition). Information extracted from hospital discharge letters and correct ICD coding for kidney disease was studied as a surrogate of physician’s awareness of kidney disease. All patients were interrogated 0.5 to 3 years after hospital discharge, whether they had ever been told about kidney disease by a physician.
Results
Of the 536 patients, 32% had evidence for acute or chronic kidney disease during the index hospital stay. Either condition was mentioned in the discharge letter in 22%, and 72% were correctly coded according to ICD-10. At the study visit in the outpatient setting 35% had impaired kidney function. Of 158 patients with kidney disease, 54 (34%) were aware of CKD. Determinants of patient’s awareness were severity of CKD (OR\(_{eGFR}\) 0.94; 95%CI 0.92–0.96), obesity (OR 1.97; 1.07–3.64), history of heart failure (OR 1.99; 1.00–3.97), and mentioning of kidney disease in the index event’s hospital discharge letter (OR 5.51; 2.35–12.9).
Conclusions
Although CKD is frequent in CHD, only one third of patients is aware of this condition. Patient’s awareness was associated with kidney disease being mentioned in the hospital discharge letter. Future studies should examine how raising physician’s awareness for kidney dysfunction may improve patient’s awareness of CKD.
Background
40–50% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) will develop liver metastases (CRLM) during the course of the disease. One third of these patients will additionally develop pulmonary metastases.
Methods
137 consecutive patients with CRLM, were analyzed regarding survival data, clinical, histological data and treatment. Results were stratified according to the occurrence of pulmonary metastases and metastases resection.
Results
39% of all patients with liver resection due to CRLM developed additional lung metastases. 44% of these patients underwent subsequent pulmonary resection. Patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy showed a significantly better five-year survival compared to patients not qualified for curative resection (5-year survival 71.2% vs. 28.0%; p = 0.001). Interestingly, the 5-year survival of these patients was even superior to all patients with CRLM, who did not develop pulmonary metastases (77.5% vs. 63.5%; p = 0.015). Patients, whose pulmonary metastases were not resected, were more likely to redevelop liver metastases (50.0% vs 78.6%; p = 0.034). However, the rate of distant metastases did not differ between both groups (54.5 vs.53.6; p = 0.945).
Conclusion
The occurrence of colorectal lung metastases after curative liver resection does not impact patient survival if pulmonary metastasectomy is feasible. Those patients clearly benefit from repeated resections of the liver and the lung metastases.
Background/Aims:
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a postoperative complication after cardiac surgery with a high impact on mortality and morbidity. Nephrocheck® [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] determines markers of tubular stress, which occurs prior to tubular damage. It is unknown at which time-point [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] measurement should be performed to ideally predict AKI. We investigated the association of [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] at various time-points with the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery including cardio-pulmonary bypass.
Methods: In a prospective cohort study, serial blood and urine samples were collected from 150 patients: pre-operative, at ICU-admission, 24h and 48h post-surgery. AKI was defined as Serum-Creatinine rise >0.3 mg/dl within 48hrs. Urinary [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] was measured at pre-operative, ICU-admission and 24h post-surgery; medical staff was kept blinded to these results.
Results: A total of 35 patients (23.5%) experienced AKI, with a higher incidence in those with high [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] values at ICU admission (57.1% vs. 10.1%, p<0.001). In logistic regression [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] at ICU admission was independently associated with the occurrence of AKI (Odds Ratio 11.83; p<0.001, C-statistic= 0.74) after adjustment for EuroSCORE II and CBP-time.
Conclusions: Early detection of elevated [TIMP-2*IGFBP7] at ICU admission was strongly predictive for postoperative AKI and appeared to be more precise as compared to subsequent measurements.
Background:
Adherence to pharmacotherapeutic treatment guidelines in patients with heart failure (HF) is of major prognostic importance, but thorough implementation of guidelines in routine care remains insufficient. Our aim was to investigate prevalence and characteristics of HF in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), and to assess the adherence to current HF guidelines in patients with HF stage C, thus identifying potential targets for the optimization of guideline implementation.
Methods:
Patients from the German sample of the European Action on Secondary and Primary Prevention by Intervention to Reduce Events (EuroAspire) IV survey with a hospitalization for CHD within the previous six to 36 months providing valid data on echocardiography as well as on signs and symptoms of HF were categorized into stages of HF: A, prevalence of risk factors for developing HF; B, asymptomatic but with structural heart disease; C, symptomatic HF. A Guideline Adherence Indicator (GAI-3) was calculated for patients with reduced (≤40%) left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) as number of drugs taken per number of drugs indicated; beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) were considered.
Results:
509/536 patients entered analysis. HF stage A was prevalent in n = 20 (3.9%), stage B in n = 264 (51.9%), and stage C in n = 225 (44.2%) patients; 94/225 patients were diagnosed with HFrEF (42%). Stage C patients were older, had a longer duration of CHD, and a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension. Awareness of pre-diagnosed HF was low (19%). Overall GAI-3 of HFrEF patients was 96.4% with a trend towards lower GAI-3 in patients with lower LVEF due to less thorough MRA prescription.
Conclusions:
In our sample of CHD patients, prevalence of HF stage C was high and a sizable subgroup suffered from HFrEF. Overall, pharmacotherapy was fairly well implemented in HFrEF patients, although somewhat worse in patients with more reduced ejection fraction. Two major targets were identified possibly suited to further improve the implementation of HF guidelines: 1) increase patients´ awareness of diagnosis and importance of HF; and 2) disseminate knowledge about the importance of appropriately implementing the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists.
Trial registration:
This is a cross-sectional analysis of a non-interventional study. Therefore, it was not registered as an interventional trial.
Background:
Mechanical circulatory support is a common practice nowadays in the management of patients after cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction. The single or combined use of one or more devices for mechanical support depends not only on the advantage or disadvantage of these devices but also on the timing of use of these devices before the development of multi organ failure. In our case we used more than one tool for mechanical circulatory support during the prolonged and complicated course of our patient with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock after coronary artery bypass surgery.
Case Presentation:
We describe the combined use of Impella 5.0 and veno- pulmonary extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (VP-ECMO) for biventricular failure in a 52 years—old man. He presented with cardiogenic shock after inferior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction. After emergency coronary artery bypass surgery and failure to wean from extracorporeal circulation we employed V-P ECMO and consecutively Impella 5.0 to manage the primarily failing right and secondarily failing left ventricles.
He remained hemodynamically stable on both Impella 5.0 and VP-ECMO until Heart Mate II left ventricular assist device implantation on the 14th postoperative day. Right sided support was weaned on 66th postoperative day. The patient remained in the intensive care unit for 77 days. During his prolonged stay, he underwent renal replacement therapy and tracheostomy with complete recovery. Six months later, he was successfully heart transplanted and has completed three and half years of unremarkable follow up.
Conclusions:
The combined use of VP ECMO and Impella 5.0 is effective in the management of postcardiotomy biventricular failure as a bridge for further mechanical support or heart transplantation.