Early clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of balloon-expandable versus self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with large aortic annulus: a study-level meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare early clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis and large aortic annulus using either balloon-expandable valves (BEVs) or self-expanding valves (SEVs). Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted through September 10, 2023, to perform a meta-analysis comparing the clinical outcomes of BEV versus SEV for large aortic annulus (annulus perimeter ≥ 80 mm). Results: Seven studies (one propensity-matched study and six observational studies) met our eligibility criteria, including a total of 2167 patients (BEV, 1521; SEV, 646). The rates of procedural stroke (pooled odds ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.98), valve embolization (0.11, 0.05-0.24), need for second valve implantation (0.21, 0.17-0.26), permanent pacemaker implantation (0.43, 0.28-0.67), and aortic regurgitation ≥ moderate (0.23, 0.08-0.68) were significantly lower in the BEV group. Conversely, postoperative transvalvular gradient was significantly lower in the SEV group (pooled standard mean difference 0.55, 0.12-0.98). Subgroup analysis with newer-generation valves also showed significant differences in the need for second valve implantation and permanent pacemaker implantation, as well as aortic regurgitation ≥ moderate, favoring BEVs. Conclusions: BEV provides better early outcomes in TAVR for large aortic annulus in terms of lower rates of stroke, valve embolization, need for second valve, permanent pacemaker implantation, and aortic regurgitation ≥ moderate. Conversely, SEV provides a better transvalvular gradient in the early period after TAVR. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12055-024-01770-1.

Effect of Elevated Body Mass Index on Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The association of body mass index (BMI) and an "obesity paradox" with cardiovascular risk prediction is controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of elevated BMI on the outcome of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic stenosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 1019 patients with a BMI of ≥18.5 kg/m2 divided into 3 groups: 1) normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), 2) overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2), and 3) obese (≥30 kg/m2). Propensity score matching was used to compare normal BMI with overweight and normal BMI with obese. RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 82 years, and 348 patients had a normal BMI, while 319 and 352 patients were overweight and obese, respectively. After 1 : 1 propensity score matching, 258 and 192 pairs between normal BMI and overweight, and normal BMI and obese patients, respectively, were analyzed. Both overweight and obese patients had higher post-transaortic mean gradients and lower indexed effective orifice areas compared to normal BMI patients. During a median follow-up of 25 (range: 0.1-72) months, all-cause mortality was similar between overweight or obese patients and patients with a normal BMI. However, in a subgroup analysis of patients with moderate/severe chronic lung disease, all-cause mortality was significantly higher in obese patients compared with normal BMI patients (hazard ratio = 3.49, 95% confidence interval, 1.21-10.0, P = .021). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the "obesity paradox" was not observed in patients undergoing TAVR; rather, in patients with significant lung disease, obesity may be associated with worse midterm outcomes after TAVR.

Opioid Use Disorder's Impact on Asthma Hospitalizations: A Propensity Matched Nationwide Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with asthma and opioid use disorder (OUD) experience higher rates of acute exacerbation, but the effects of OUD on asthma hospitalizations has been poorly described. OBJECTIVE: To explore how concurrent OUD may affect the clinical outcomes of adult patients hospitalized for asthma. METHODS: Using the National Inpatient Sample, adult patients admitted for asthma with concomitant OUD were identified and compared to those without OUD. Cohorts were matched in a 1:1 ratio using propensity score matching, with mortality as primary outcome of interest. RESULTS: A total of 491,990 patients were hospitalized for asthma, and 3.49% had a concomitant diagnosis of OUD. Patients with asthma and OUD were younger, with a mean age of 41 years (SD±12.2) versus 51 years (SD±17.2) in those without OUD. After matching, both cohorts had 17,125 patients. There was no significant difference regarding in-hospital mortality (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.51-1.63, p=0.77) between the cohorts. Asthma patients with OUD had significantly higher rates of mechanical ventilation (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.23-1.87, p<0.001), non-invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.15-1.62, p<0.001), and mean length of stay (3.18 versus 2.92 days, p<0.001) compared to asthma patients without OUD. Patients with OUD had no difference in mean total hospitalization costs ($33,514 versus $31,529, p=0.054) compared to patients without OUD. Compared to a routine hospital discharge, patients with OUD were more likely to leave against medical advice (RR 2.67, 95% CI 2.28-3.13, p<0.001), be discharged to a long term facility (RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.01-1.95, p=0.045) and to be discharged with home health care (RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.22-1.99, p<0.001) than patients without OUD. CONCLUSION: Concomitant OUD has no impact on mortality in asthma hospitalizations, but asthma patients with OUD have worse secondary outcomes compared to those without OUD.

Co-occurrence of adeno-associated virus 2 and human enteric adenovirus (group F) in wastewater after worldwide outbreaks of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology (AHUE).

In 2022, several cases of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology (AHUE) have been associated with Adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV-2) and the common childhood virus Adenovirus 41 (AdV-41). This outbreak has resulted in serious complications in patients which included 5 % of individuals requiring a liver transplant and 22 deaths. Before these AHUE cases, no previous information had been reported regarding the co-infections and co-occurrence of these two viruses in the human population. The present study utilized WBE tools to investigate the prevalence of AAV-2 and AdV-F (AdV-41 and AdV-40) in wastewater from two different waste-water treatment plants (WWTP) serving the city of Bloomington in Southern Indiana, USA. The concentrations of AAV-2 and AdV-F were quantified using digital PCR in weekly wastewater samples taken over the duration of 18 months. High levels of both viruses were observed in most of the samples where co-detection and correlation in the concentrations for AAV-2 and AdV-F were found to be significant (p < 0.01) throughout duration of the study. In addition, significant seasonal changes were observed in the viral concentrations of both viruses (P < 0.01), but these seasonal variations were different between WWTPs (p < 0.01). However, these seasonal variations in viral concentrations were similar for both viruses. The sequences of AdV-F and AAV were obtained from the wastewater samples and confirmed the detection of AAV-2, AdV-41, and AdV-40 in the samples analyzed. Even though our study was done after the 2022 outbreak of AHUE, our results demonstrated the persistence of infections with both viruses in the population. It also highlights the ongoing spread of both viruses in the population and the importance of WBE in surveillance of these viruses.

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer and Enhanced Emission in Cs4PbBr6 Nanocrystals Encapsulated in Silicon Nano-Sheets for Perovskite Light Emitting Diode Applications.

Encapsulating Cs4PbBr6 quantum dots in silicon nano-sheets not only stabilizes the halide perovskite, but also takes advantage of the nano-sheet for a compatible integration with the traditional silicon semiconductor. Here, we report the preparation of un-passivated Cs4PbBr6 ellipsoidal nanocrystals and pseudo-spherical quantum dots in silicon nano-sheets and their enhanced photoluminescence (PL). For a sample with low concentrations of quantum dots in silicon nano-sheets, the emission from Cs4PbBr6 pseudo-spherical quantum dots is quenched and is dominated with Pb2+ ion/silicene emission, which is very stable during the whole measurement period. For a high concentration of Cs4PbBr6 ellipsoidal nanocrystals in silicon nano-sheets, we have observed Förster resonance energy transfer with up to 87% efficiency through the oscillation of two PL peaks when UV excitation switches between on and off, using recorded video and PL lifetime measurements. In an area of a non-uniform sample containing both ellipsoidal nanocrystals and pseudo-spherical quantum dots, where Pb2+ ion/silicene emissions, broadband emissions from quantum dots, and bandgap edge emissions (515 nm) appear, the 515 nm peak intensity increases five times over 30 min of UV excitation, probably due to a photon recycling effect. This irradiated sample has been stable for one year of ambient storage. Cs4PbBr6 quantum dots encapsulated in silicon nano-sheets can lead to applications of halide perovskite light emitting diodes (PeLEDs) and integration with traditional semiconductor materials.

Clinical Outcomes and Cost Analysis in Patients with Heart Failure Undergoing Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Mitral Valve Regurgitation.

Objective: To analyze the clinical and cost outcomes of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for mitral regurgitation (MR) in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods: All 162 HF patients undergoing TEER for MR between January 2019 and March 2023 were included. A propensity-adjusted analysis was used to compare 32 systolic vs. 97 diastolic vs. 33 mixed (systolic + diastolic) HF patients. Systolic, diastolic, and mixed HF patients were defined according to AHA guidelines. The primary outcome was the long-term incidence of all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs, all-cause mortality + stroke + myocardial infarction + repeat intervention). Results: The mean age was 76.3 vs. 80.9 vs. 76 years old, and the mean ejection fraction (EF) was 39.5% vs. 59.8% vs. 39.7% in systolic vs. diastolic vs. mixed HF, respectively. Postoperatively, the diastolic vs. systolic HF group had a higher intensive care unit stay (21 vs. 0 h; HR 67.5 (23.7, 111.4)]; lower ventilation time [2 vs. 2.3 h; HR 49.4 (8.6, 90.2)]; lower EF [38% vs. 58.5%; HR 9.9 (3.7, 16.1)]. In addition, the diastolic vs. mixed HF groups had a lower incidence of EF < 50% (11 vs. 27 patients; HR 6.6 (1.6, 27.3) and a lower use of dialysis (one vs. three patients; HR 18.1 (1.1, 287.3), respectively. At a mean 1.6 years follow-up, all-cause death [HR 39.8 (26.2, 60.5)], MACCEs [HR 50.3 (33.7-75.1)], and new pacemaker implantations [HR 17.3 (8.7, 34.6)] were higher in the mixed group. There was no significant total hospital cost difference among the systolic (USD 106,859) vs. diastolic (USD 91,731) vs. mixed (USD 120,522) HF groups (p = 0.08). Conclusions: TEER for MR evidenced the worst postoperative and follow-up clinical outcomes in the mixed HF group compared to diastolic and systolic HF groups. No total hospital cost differences were observed.

Five near-infrared-emissive graphene quantum dots for multiplex bioimaging.

Due to high tissue penetration depth and low autofluorescence backgrounds, near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging has recently become an advantageous diagnostic technique used in a variety of fields. However, most of the NIR fluorophores do not have therapeutic delivery capabilities, exhibit low photostabilities, and raise toxicity concerns. To address these issues, we developed and tested five types of biocompatible graphene quantum dots (GQDs) exhibiting spectrally-separated fluorescence in the NIR range of 928-1053 nm with NIR excitation. Their optical properties in the NIR are attributed to either rare-earth metal dopants (Ho-NGQDs, Yb-NGQDs, Nd-NGQDs) or defect-states (nitrogen doped GQDS (NGQDs), reduced graphene oxides) as verified by Hartree-Fock calculations. Moderate up to 1.34% quantum yields of these GQDs are well-compensated by their remarkable >4 h photostability. At the biocompatible concentrations of up to 0.5-2 mg ml-1 GQDs successfully internalize into HEK-293 cells and enable in vitro imaging in the visible and NIR. Tested all together in HEK-293 cells five GQD types enable simultaneous multiplex imaging in the NIR-I and NIR-II shown for the first time in this work for GQD platforms. Substantial photostability, spectrally-separated NIR emission, and high biocompatibility of five GQD types developed here suggest their promising potential in multianalyte testing and multiwavelength bioimaging of combination therapies.

A case of hybrid robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting and valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

We report a hybrid procedure of robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting and transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve implantation for left main disease and prosthetic aortic valve stenosis. Robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting using a left internal mammary artery graft was preferred to percutaneous coronary intervention because of the complex anatomy of the coronary lesion and concerns about dual antiplatelet therapy tolerance. This was followed by a valve-in-valve procedure five days later, allowing the patient to be discharged the next day. This innovative, less invasive approach demonstrates the feasibility and potential for early recovery in appropriately selected patients with complex coronary and aortic valve disease. Learning objective: Hybrid robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (AVR) is a feasible and less invasive approach for appropriately selected patients with complex coronary and aortic valve disease who are not good candidates for percutaneous coronary intervention or conventional CABG and surgical AVR.

Presence of Triatoma breyeri (Reduviidae, Triatominae) in Bolivia.

The study focuses on identifying and understanding the ecological dynamics of Triatoma breyeri in Bolivia. Morphological identification and molecular analysis using gene fragments (COI, CytB and 16S) confirms T. breyeri's presence and its relation to other species. The species has been consistently found in the Estancia-Mataral-La Palma region since 2010 but has not spread to other regions in Bolivia. The region of occurrence is a small characteristic dry inter-Andean valley. A MaxEnt model suggests part of the Bolivian Montane Dry Forest ecoregion serves as a unique habitat within its range. The infrequent presence in Bolivia and the distance from its main range in Argentina suggest recent accidental introduction, possibly through human transport. Further research is needed to comprehend its persistence in this small area of Bolivia.

Double arterial vs. single axillary cannulation in acute type A aortic dissections: a meta-analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of double (axillary and femoral) vs. single (axillary) cannulation on early outcomes of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). Materials & methods: Meta-analysis using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases through August 23, 2023. Focused on operative mortality, postoperative stroke, re-exploration for bleeding, spinal cord injury, and renal replacement therapy. Results: Among 5 propensity score-matched studies with 2127 patients, double cannulation showed comparable mortality and higher rates of postoperative stroke (pooled odds ratio: 1.69, 95% confidence interval: 1.19-2.39) and need for renal replacement therapy (pooled odds ratio: 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.13-1.60) compared with single cannulation. Conclusion: Double arterial cannulation in ATAAD surgery is associated with increased postoperative stroke and renal replacement therapy than single cannulation.

What is this summary about? We studied the optimal way to maintain blood flow during surgery for acute aortic dissection. We focused on comparing the use of one tube placement site in the axillary artery with two sites, both in the axillary and femoral arteries, in five previous studies.What were the results? Using two sites was associated with a higher risk of stroke and need for dialysis after surgery than using only one site.What do the results mean? Adding a tube in the femoral artery for blood flow may increase the risk of complications. It appears that placing the tube only in the axillary artery may be a safer choice for appropriately selected patients having this surgery.

Bicarbonate-binding catalysis for the enantioselective desymmetrization of keto sulfonium salts.

Herein, an enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclic keto sulfonium salts through enantioselective deprotonation/ring opening process by anion-binding catalysis is presented. We report a squaramide/HCO3- complex as catalytic active species which is able to stereo-differentiate two enantiomeric protons, triggering the ring opening event taking advantage of the great tendency of sulfonium salts to act as leaving groups. Thus, this desymmetrization methodology give rise to ß-methylsulfenylated sulfa-Michael addition type products with excellent yields and very good enantioselectivities. The bifunctional organocatalyst has been demonstrated to be capable of activating simultaneously the base and the keto sulfonium salt by DFT calculations and experimental proofs.

Clinical Presentation and Management of the Cervical Aortic Arch in the Adult Population: A Review of Case Reports.

The cervical aortic arch (CAA) is an uncommon congenital anomaly in aortic development, characterized by an elongated aortic arch extending at or above the medial ends of the clavicles. Our objective was to examine the clinical and surgical characteristics of this infrequent condition in the adult population. PubMed, ScienceDirect, SciELO, DOAJ, and Cochrane Library databases were searched until December 2023 for case reports describing the presence of a cervical aortic arch in patients aged ≥18 years. Case reports and series were included if the following criteria were met: (1) description of the cervical aortic arch, (2) age ≥18 years, and (3) English language. The literature search identified 2,325 potentially eligible articles, 61 of whom met our inclusion criteria and included a combined number of 71 patients. Mean age was 38.6 ± 15.4 years, with a female prevalence of 67.1% (47/70). Two-thirds of the CAA were left-sided (48/71, 67.6%), and 62.0% (44/71) of patients presented a concomitant arch aneurysm. Asymptomatic patients were 45.7% (32/70), while of those that were symptomatic, 60.5% (23/38) had symptoms related to vascular-induced compression of trachea and esophagus. Surgery was performed in 42 patients (62.7%) among 67 cases that reported the patient's treatment, and 5 patients (11.9%) among those surgically treated underwent the procedure through an endovascular approach. CAA is an uncommon congenital abnormality that presents challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to its high anatomical variability, diverse clinical manifestations, and presence of concomitant diseases. Surgery seems to be a safe and effective option for the resolution of symptoms.

Impact of prior coronary artery bypass grafting and coronary lesion complexity on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and coronary lesion complexity on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) outcomes for aortic stenosis. METHODS: Clinical outcomes of TAVR were retrospectively compared between patients with and without prior CABG, and between patients with prior CABG and without coronary artery disease (CAD). The impact of the CABG SYNTAX score was also evaluated in patients with prior CABG. RESULTS: The study included 1042 patients with a median age and follow-up of 82 years and 25 (range: 0-72) months, respectively. Of these, 175 patients had a history of CABG, while 401 were free of CAD. Patients with prior CABG were more likely to be male and had higher rates of diabetes, peripheral artery disease and atrial fibrillation compared with patients without prior CABG. After 2 : 1 propensity score matching, all-cause mortality ( P  = 0.17) and the composite of all-cause mortality, stroke and coronary intervention ( P  = 0.16) were similar between patients with (n = 166) and without (n = 304) prior CABG. A 1 : 1 propensity score-matched analysis, however, showed lower rates of all-cause mortality ( P  = 0.04) and the composite outcome ( P  = 0.04) in patients with prior CABG (n = 134) compared with patients without CAD (n = 134). The median CABG SYNTAX score was 16 (interquartile range: 9.0-23), which was not associated with better/worse clinical outcomes in patients with prior CABG. CONCLUSION: Prior CABG may positively affect mid-term TAVR outcomes for aortic stenosis compared with no CAD when adjusted for other comorbidities. The CABG SYNTAX score did not influence the prognosis after TAVR.

Impact of coronary artery disease and revascularization on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of coronary artery disease (CAD), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary lesion complexity on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic stenosis. METHODS/MATERIALS: This retrospective study included 1042 patients divided into two groups by the presence or absence of CAD (SYNTAX score 0, no history of revascularization). Propensity score matching was used to compare the two groups. The effect of PCI, SYNTAX score, and residual SYNTAX score was also analyzed. RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 82 years, and 641 patients had CAD. After propensity score matching, 346 pairs were analyzed. During 5 years of follow-up (median: 25, range 0-72 months), the rate of coronary intervention was significantly higher in CAD patients (p = 0.018). However, all-cause mortality, composite of all-cause mortality, stroke, and coronary intervention, and overt bleeding defined by VARC-3 were comparable. After stratification, in patients with creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dl, CAD was associated with a worse composite outcome (p = 0.016). Neither PCI nor SYNTAX score was associated with all-cause mortality in CAD patients. Similarly, residual SYNTAX score showed no association with mortality in patients undergoing PCI (all p values >0.7). PCI did not reach a significant difference in overt bleeding in CAD patients (adjusted p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a higher incidence of coronary interventions, major clinical outcomes were similar between patients with and without CAD after TAVR. In patients with chronic kidney disease, CAD may be associated with an adverse composite outcome. Neither PCI nor SYNTAX/residual SYNTAX score influenced all-cause mortality.

Acute Transient Contrast-Induced Neurologic Deficit as a Complication of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Acute transient contrast-induced neurologic deficit is an uncommon condition triggered by the administration of intra-arterial contrast during angiography. It can present with encephalopathy, cortical blindness, seizures, or focal deficits. This report describes a patient who presented with severe neurologic deficits after percutaneous coronary intervention, with complete symptom resolution within 72 hours.

Impact of early intervention on health status outcomes in peripheral artery disease patients with chronic total occlusion lesions using the PORTRAIT registry.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of noninvasive and early invasive treatments on health status in patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) without and with chronic total occlusions (CTOs) after 12 months of follow-up. METHODS: Using the international (the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia) observational longitudinal Patient-Centered Outcomes Related to Treatment Practices in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Investigating Trajectories registry, we included patients with recent PAD symptoms between June 2011 and December 2015. We assessed the PAD-specific health status at initial visit and the 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up using the Peripheral Arterial Questionnaire. On a propensity matched-weighted cohort, we compared patients' characteristics by CTO status and treatment groups as early invasive (revascularization in the 3 months) vs noninvasive (exercise, medical therapies, or smoking cessation). We then assessed the health status trajectory over 12 months, as a three-way interaction between CTO status, treatment groups, and months, using a multilevel generalized linear regression model for repeated measures adjusted for baseline health status with random effects at the site and patient levels. RESULTS: We included 581 participants, with a mean age of 66.62 ± 9.33 years, 34.3% female, and 90.8% White, of whom 353 (60.8%) were without and 228 (39.2%) had a CTO lesion. Respectively, 96 (27.2%) and 70 (30.7%) patients underwent early invasive treatment (d = 0.07). Although patients with CTO were more likely to have lower resting ABI, multilevel disease, and to experience severe claudication vs their counterparts (|d| ≥ 0.20), patient health status at baseline with CTO was not different from those without CTO, with mean summary scores of 45.14 ± 20.26 vs 45.90 ± 21.24 (d = 0.04), respectively. The trajectory did not differ by CTO status (interaction CTO status × month; P = .517) and was higher in early invasive vs noninvasive treatment (treatment × month; P < .001), regardless of CTO status (CTO status × treatment; P = .981 and CTO status × treatment × month; P = .264). The score increased over time with the largest improvement occurring at 3 months in both noninvasive (non-CTO, +7.82 [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.03-11.60] and CTO, +9.27 95% CI, 4.45-14.09) and early invasive (non-CTO, +26.17 [95% CI, 20.06-32.28] and CTO, +24.52 [95% CI, 17.40-31.64] groups. The mean score in CTO vs non-CTO groups did not differ at each timepoint, with a 12-month mean score of 70.26 (95% CI, 67.87-74.65) vs 71.17 (95% CI, 65.91-76.44) (P = .99) in the noninvasive treatment and 84.93 (95% CI, 78.90-90.97) vs 79.20 (95% CI, 72.77-86.14) (P = .31) in the early invasive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with symptomatic PAD undergoing early revascularization exhibited better health status over time vs those undergoing noninvasive treatment strategy, irrespective of the presence of CTOs. The degree of the improvement was greater in the 3 months after the initial visit, especially in patients undergoing early revascularization.

Improved Hemodynamics With Self-Expanding Compared to Balloon-Expandable Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Small Annulus Patients: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Patients with small aortic annuli (SAA) pose a challenge in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement because of the potential for prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM). This study aimed to compare the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of self-expandable valve (SEV) versus balloon-expandable valve (BEV) transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with severe aortic stenosis and SAA. All patients who underwent TAVI for severe native aortic stenosis with a SAA between January 2018 and December 2022 were retrospectively included in the study from a single center. Propensity score matching was performed to balance the baseline characteristics. Bioprosthesis valve dysfunction was based on modified Valve Academic Research Consortium 3 criteria. A total of 1,170 TAVI procedures were performed between 2018 and 2022. After applying the exclusion criteria, 332 patients reported a SAA at computed tomography scan, and the matching created 109 balanced pairs. Echocardiographic data at discharge showed higher mean transvalvular gradients (p <0.001), higher grades of mitral regurgitation (p = 0.029), and lower ejection fraction (p <0.043) in BEVs than SEVs. At follow-up, significant differences favoring the SEV group regarding bioprosthesis valve dysfunction were observed (p = 0.002), especially in terms of severe PPM (p = 0.046) and at least moderate structural valve deterioration (p = 0.040). In conclusion, TAVI in patients with SAA using a BEV was associated with lower valve areas, higher mean pressure gradients, and PPM (including severe) than a SEV. Short- and midterm all-cause and cardiac-related mortality did not differ between the 2 groups. Future randomized studies with extended follow-ups are warranted to validate these outcomes.

Chronological pattern of venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurrence impacts in survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on the prognostic significance of the chronology of VTE in patients with PDAC. METHODS: Medical data and survival characteristics of patients treated for PDAC from 2019 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Early VTE was defined as occurring within the three months of PDAC diagnosis. RESULTS: 197 patients were included, 54 (27.4%) developed a VTE. Early appearance of VTE was associated with worse prognosis: median overall survival (mOS) VTE < 3 months 8.5 months (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.11-2.46; p = 0.014), mOS VTE > 3 months 12.8 months (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.39-1.54; p = 0.5) and mOS patients without VTE 11.4 months (95% CI 10.1-15.4). There was no significant association between the patient's VTE risk according to the Khorana risk score (KRS) (chi2 test p-value = 0.9). CONCLUSION: Early VTE is a prognostic factor in PDAC, which may identify a more aggressive subtype.

Direct aortic cannulation versus femoral arterial cannulation for early outcomes in acute type A aortic dissection: A study-level meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of direct aortic cannulation (DAC) versus femoral arterial cannulation (FAC) on clinical outcomes of surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched until August 25, 2023, to conduct a meta-analysis. Primary endpoints of the study were operative mortality and postoperative stroke. Secondary endpoints were cardiopulmonary bypass time, myocardial ischemic time, hypothermic circulatory arrest time, temporary neurological dysfunction (TND), combined stroke and TND, re-exploration for bleeding, and need for renal replacement therapy. A random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled effect size, and a leave-one-out method was used for the primary endpoints for sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: 15 studies met our eligibility criteria, including a total of 7941 samples. Operative mortality was significantly lower in the DAC group with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.72 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61-0.85)]. Incidence of postoperative stroke was also lower in the DAC group with a pooled OR of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.66-0.94). However, after excluding one study with the greatest weight, the difference became nonsignificant. DAC was also associated with a lower incidence of postoperative TND, and re-exploration for bleeding with a pooled OR of 0.52 (95% CI: 0.37-0.73), and 0.60 (95% CI: 0.47-0.77), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that patients who underwent ATAAD repair with DAC had a lower incidence of operative mortality, postoperative stroke, TND, and re-exploration for bleeding compared to those who underwent FAC.

Factors Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Fully Vaccinated Nursing Home Residents and Workers.

Persons living or working in nursing homes faced a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections during the pandemic, resulting in heightened morbidity and mortality among older adults despite robust vaccination efforts. This prospective study evaluated the humoral and cellular immunity in fully vaccinated residents and workers from two nursing homes in Madrid, Spain, from 2020 to 2021. Measurements of IgG levels were conducted in August 2020 (pre-vaccination) and June and September 2021 (post-vaccination), alongside assessments of neutralizing antibodies and cellular responses in September 2021 among the most vulnerable individuals. Follow-up extended until February 2022 to identify risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection or mortality, involving 267 residents (mean age 87.6 years, 81.3% women) and 302 workers (mean age 50.7 years, 82.1% women). Residents exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing COVID-19 before June 2021 compared with nursing staff (OR [95% CI], 7.2 [3.0 to 17.2], p < 0.01). Participants with a history of previous COVID-19 infection showed more significant increases in IgG levels in August 2020, June 2021 and September 2021, alongside an increased proportion of neutralizing antibodies in the most vulnerable individuals. However, IgG decay remained the same between June and September 2021 based on the previous COVID-19 status. During the Omicron variant wave, residents and staff showed a similar rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, preceding clinical or immunological factors before receiving three vaccination doses did not demonstrate associations with COVID-19 infection or overall mortality in our participant cohort.