Outcomes of complete removal versus conservative therapy in cardiac implantable electronic device infections - A systematic review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Complete removal of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is recommended in patients with CIED infections, including both systemic and localized pocket infection. The aim of the study was to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of evidence relating to the effect of complete CIED extraction in patients with a CIED infection. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting short- and mid-term outcomes in patients who had a device infection or infective endocarditis (IE) and underwent complete removal of the cardiac device (generator and leads) compared to those who received conservative therapy (no removal, partial removal, local antibiotic infiltration or isolated antibiotic therapy). The primary outcome was reinfection/relapse. Secondary outcomes were short-term (30-day/in-hospital) and mid-term (mean follow-up: 43.0 months) mortality. Random effects model was performed. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies met the criteria for inclusion in the final analysis. Patients with complete CIED extraction (n = 905) exhibited a lower rate of relapse/re-infection compared to patients (n = 195) with a conservative treatment approach (n = 195, OR 0.02, 95%CI 0.01-0.06, p < 0.0001, mean-follow-up: 16.1 months). Additionally, these patients displayed a lower short- (OR 0.40, 95%CI 0.23-0.69, p = 0.01) and mid-term (OR 0.52, 95%CI 0.34-0.78, p = 0.002) mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis indicates that patients with a CIED infection who undergo complete CIED extraction exhibit a lower rate of relapse/re-infection. Additionally, a lower short- and mid-term mortality is observed, although it is acknowledged that this outcome may be influenced by treatment allocation bias.

Outcomes comparison between the first and the subsequent SARS-CoV-2 waves - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: In the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, health care professionals dealing with COVID-19 had to rely exclusively on general supportive measures since specific treatments were unknown. The subsequent waves could be faced with new diagnostic and therapeutic tools (e.g., anti-viral medications and vaccines). We performed a meta-analysis and systematic review to compare clinical endpoints between the first and subsequent waves. Methods: Three databases were assessed. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, ICU length of stay (LOS), acute renal failure, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) implantation, mechanical ventilation time, hospital LOS, systemic thromboembolism, myocarditis and ventilator associated pneumonia. Results: A total of 25 studies with 126,153 patients were included. There was no significant difference for the primary endpoint (OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.83-1.07, p=0.35). The first wave group presented higher rates of ICU LOS (SMD= 0.23, 95% CI 0.11-0.35, p<0.01), acute renal failure (OR=1.71, 95% CI 1.36-2.15, p<0.01) and ECMO implantation (OR=1.64, 95% CI 1.06-2.52, p=0.03). The other endpoints did not show significant differences. Conclusions: The analysis suggests that the first wave group, when compared with the subsequent waves group, presented higher rates of ICU LOS, acute renal failure and ECMO implantation, without significant difference in in-hospital or ICU mortality, mechanical ventilation time, hospital LOS, systemic thromboembolism, myocarditis or ventilator- associated pneumonia.

Outcomes of Concomitant Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients With Infective Endocarditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

It is current practice to perform concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with infective endocarditis who have relevant coronary artery disease. However, CABG may add complexity to the operation. We performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies that presented outcomes from patients who underwent valve surgery because of infective endocarditis with or without concomitant CABG. Three databases were assessed. Perioperative mortality was the primary outcome. Long-term mortality and postoperative stroke were the secondary outcomes. Inverse variance method and random model were performed. Five studies with a total of 5,408 patients were included. Mean follow-up was 8.2 years. Just 1 study addressed exclusively patients with documented coronary artery disease. Perioperative mortality did not differ between patients with or without concomitant CABG (odds ratio 1.53, 95% confidence interval 0.52 to 4.48, p = 0.44). Long-term mortality did not differ between patients who received and those who did not receive concomitant CABG (odds ratio 1.79, confidence interval 0.88 to 3.65, p = 0.11). Only 1 study from a multicenter registry reported data on the occurrence of postoperative stroke, which demonstrated that its incidence after adjustment was 26% in patients with concomitant CABG versus 21% in patients without concomitant CABG (p = 0.003). The results suggest that in endocarditis patients, adding CABG to valve surgery does not affect perioperative or long-term mortality. Data available on the impact of concomitant CABG on neurologic outcomes are limited to a retrospective multicenter registry and suggest that concomitant CABG may be associated with higher postoperative stroke.

Intraoperative fluid balance and cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a multicenter prospective study

Abstract Background Recent data suggest the regime of fluid therapy intraoperatively in patients undergoing major surgeries may interfere in patient outcomes. The development of postoperative Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) has been associated with both Restrictive Fluid Balance (RFB) and Liberal Fluid Balance (LFB) during non-cardiac surgery. In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, this influence remains unclear. The study objective was to evaluate the relationship between intraoperative RFB vs. LFB and the incidence of Cardiac-Surgery-Associated AKI (CSA-AKI) and major postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing on-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). Methods This prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study was set at two high-complexity university hospitals in Brazil. Adult patients who required postoperative intensive care after undergoing elective on-pump CABG were allocated to two groups according to their intraoperative fluid strategy (RFB or LFB) with no intervention. Results The primary endpoint was CSA-AKI. The secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, cardiovascular complications, ICU Length of Stay (ICU-LOS), and Hospital LOS (H-LOS). After propensity score matching, 180 patients remained in each group. There was no difference in risk of CSA-AKI between the two groups (RR = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.85-1.56, p= 0.36). The in-hospital mortality, H-LOS and cardiovascular complications were higher in the LFB group. ICU-LOS was not significantly different between the two groups. ROCcurve analysis determined a fluid balance above 2500 mL to accurately predict in-hospital mortality. Conclusion Patients undergoing on-pump CABG with LFB when compared with patients with RFB present similar CSA-AKI rates and ICU-LOS, but higher in-hospital mortality, cardiovascular complications, and H-LOS.

Intraoperative fluid balance and cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a multicenter prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest the regime of fluid therapy intraoperatively in patients undergoing major surgeries may interfere in patient outcomes. The development of postoperative Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) has been associated with both Restrictive Fluid Balance (RFB) and Liberal Fluid Balance (LFB) during non-cardiac surgery. In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, this influence remains unclear. The study objective was to evaluate the relationship between intraoperative RFB vs. LFB and the incidence of Cardiac-Surgery-Associated AKI (CSA-AKI) and major postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing on-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). METHODS: This prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study was set at two high-complexity university hospitals in Brazil. Adult patients who required postoperative intensive care after undergoing elective on-pump CABG were allocated to two groups according to their intraoperative fluid strategy (RFB or LFB) with no intervention. RESULTS: The primary endpoint was CSA-AKI. The secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, cardiovascular complications, ICU Length of Stay (ICU-LOS), and Hospital LOS (H-LOS). After propensity score matching, 180 patients remained in each group. There was no difference in risk of CSA-AKI between the two groups (RR = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.85-1.56, p = 0.36). The in-hospital mortality, H-LOS and cardiovascular complications were higher in the LFB group. ICU-LOS was not significantly different between the two groups. ROCcurve analysis determined a fluid balance above 2500 mL to accurately predict in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing on-pump CABG with LFB when compared with patients with RFB present similar CSA-AKI rates and ICU-LOS, but higher in-hospital mortality, cardiovascular complications, and H-LOS.