Heparin versus normal saline locking for prevention of occlusion, catheter-related infections and thrombosis in central venous catheter in adults: Overview of systematic reviews.

Venous access devices are used in health care. To prevent occlusions the evidence confirmed the need for routine catheter flushing before and after infusion as well as at the end of use. To date, the efficacy of heparin has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the locking of central venous catheters with heparin versus normal saline in adults to prevent occlusion, catheter-related infections and thrombosis in adults. A literature search using Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Cinahl was performed to identify all meta-analyses addressing the effectiveness of heparin versus normal saline in locking central venous catheters in adults. Four reviewers independently selected publications assessed quality and extracted data. Parameter estimates regarding occlusion, catheter- related infections and thrombosis were pooled using an umbrella review. We identified 6356 references. Seven systematic reviews were included in the study. Most of the studies included in the systematic reviews were conducted in oncohaematology departments, intensive care and cardiac surgery units among patients with multiple diseases and chronicity. Most studies report a heparin concentration of 10 to 5000 IU/ml versus normal saline and other solutions. There was no evidence that heparin was more effective than normal saline in reducing complications such as occlusion, catheter-related infections and thrombosis. No statistically significant difference was found between heparin and normal saline in reducing catheter occlusion. Heparin is not superior compared to normal saline.

Meta-analysis of randomized trials on the efficacy of vascular closure devices after diagnostic angiography and angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of vascular closure devices (VCDs). METHODS: This meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 31 prospective, randomized studies including 7,528 patients who were randomized to VCDs or manual/mechanical compression after diagnostic angiography and/or endovascular procedures. Most of these studies have excluded patients at high risk of puncture site complications. Meta-analysis showed similar results in the study groups in terms of groin hematoma, bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, and blood transfusion. Lower limb ischemia and other arterial ischemic complications (0.3% vs 0%, P = .07) as well as need of surgery for vascular complications (0.7% vs 0.4%, P = .10) were somewhat more frequent with arterial puncture closure devices. The incidence of groin infection was significantly more frequent with VCDs (0.6% vs 0.2%, P = .02). The use of VCD was uniformly associated with a significantly shorter time to hemostasis. Such differences where more evident in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, whereas these methods were associated with similar rates of adverse events among patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography. CONCLUSIONS: The use of VCDs is associated with a significantly shorter time to hemostasis and thus may shorten recovery. However, the use of VCDs is associated with a somewhat increased risk of infection, lower limb ischemia/arterial stenosis/device entrapment in the artery, and need of vascular surgery for arterial complications. Further studies are needed to get more conclusive results, particularly in patients at high risk of femoral puncture-related complications.

Staples versus sutures for closing leg wounds after vein graft harvesting for coronary artery bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection (SSI) after saphenous vein graft harvesting is a complication occurring in up to 18% of patients who undergo coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). It is not known whether the method of skin closure influences the infection rate. OBJECTIVES: To compare the rates of SSI and wound dehiscence of staples and sutures for skin closure after saphenous vein graft harvesting for CABG. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 11/3/10); The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) - The Cochrane Library 2010 Issue 1; Ovid MEDLINE - 1950 to March Week 1 2010; Ovid MEDLINE - In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations (Searched 11/3/10); Ovid EMBASE - 1980 to 2010 Week 09 and EBSCO CINAHL - 1982 to March 11 2010. No date or language restrictions were applied. SELECTION CRITERIA: Trials comparing staples and sutures for closing leg wounds after vein graft harvesting in patients undergoing CABG were eligible for inclusion in this review. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed the titles and abstracts of references identified by the search strategy against the selection criteria and extracted data from eligible trials. Included trials were assessed for the following risks of bias: generation of random allocation sequence, allocation concealment, blinding, incomplete outcome data, selective reporting and freedom from other biases. For dichotomous variables, we calculated the relative risk with 95% confidence intervals (CI). MAIN RESULTS: We included three prospective, randomised studies reporting on a total of 148 leg wounds closed with staples and 175 with sutures after vein graft harvesting in patients undergoing CABG. All trials were of sub-optimal methodological quality and all trials were at risk of bias. Leg wound infection rate was 10.8% (16/148) after leg wound closure with staples compared with 8% (14/174) with sutures (relative risk 1.20, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.39). Leg wound dehiscence occurred in 9.3% (10/108) of patients after leg wound closure with staples compared with 8.8% (12/137) with sutures (relative risk 1.05, 95%CI 0.43 to 2.53). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there is no evidence of a difference in the risk of SSI and wound dehiscence when staples rather than sutures are used to close leg wounds after vein graft harvesting during CABG, however more research is needed.

Impact of estimated glomerular filtration rate on the 15-year outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on the 15-year outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in a community-wide population study. METHODS: Eight hundred and eighty-two patients who underwent CABG were included in this study. eGFR was estimated by the modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equation. RESULTS: Among 30-day operative survivors, patients with eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) had significantly poorer overall survival (at 5, 10 and 15 year, 84.7%, 63.5% and 43.8% vs 92.8%, 77.6% and 58.3%, respectively, p<0.0001). eGFR (HR 0.989, 95% CI 0.981-0.997, as well as eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2): HR 1.470, 95% CI 1.092-1.979) was an independent predictor of late all-cause mortality only when patients' age was excluded from the regression model. This was probably due to strong impact of age on eGFR. eGFR (HR 0.987, 95% CI 0.975-0.998, as well as eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2); HR 1.612, 95% CI 1.086-2.395) was an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality secondary to ischemic heart disease or ischemic stroke. eGFR (HR 0.991, 95% CI 0.983-0.999, as well as eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2): HR 1.396 95% CI 1.031-1.891) was an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity (myocardial infarction, stroke, need for redo CABG or PCI). When both preoperative serum creatinine and eGFR were included in the regression model, only eGFR was predictive of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and combined cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that an eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) is an important determinant of long-term outcome after isolated CABG. Since its predictive value seems to be superior to serum creatinine, eGFR may be useful to identify those patients undergoing CABG with subclinical chronic kidney disease.

Changing risk of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changing risk of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Residents of Oulu who underwent coronary angiography and/or revascularization from 1993 to 2006 formed the basis of this community-wide study. One thousand three hundred and forty-nine consecutive patients who underwent CABG have been included in the analysis on changing operative risk and results after CABG. A significant increase in the operative risk occurred in patients who underwent CABG (mean logistic EuroSCORE in 1278 patients: 1993-1997: 3.7%; 1998-2002: 4.6%; 2003-2006: 5.4%; P<0.0001). Thirty-day mortality decreased during the last period (1993-1997: 2.5%; 1998-2002: 3.0%; 2003-2006: 1.6%; P=0.49). The area under the ROC curve of logistic EuroSCORE (1993-1997: 0.86; 1998-2002: 0.78; 2003-2006: 0.99) for prediction of 30-day postoperative mortality markedly improved during the last study period. Despite the increased operative risk, off-pump coronary surgery was associated with lower immediate postoperative mortality rates. Contrary to on-pump surgery, immediate postoperative death occurred after off-pump surgery only in patients with additive EuroSCORE >or=6. The results of this study suggest that improved perioperative care as well as changes in operative strategy are positively faced with the increased burden of comorbidities and operative risk of patients currently undergoing CABG.

The use of statins and fate of small abdominal aortic aneurysms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of statins in reducing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth rate and improving freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture. One hundred and twenty-one patients with AAA undergoing ultrasonographic surveillance for at least one year were included in this retrospective study. Patients treated with statins had a decreased linear aneurysm growth rate than those not receiving statins (1.9+/-1.8 mm/year vs. 2.6+/-2.4 mm/year, P=0.27), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Statin users had a better survival freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture (at 5 years: 72.3% vs. 52.5%, P=0.048). The impact of treatment with statins was even more evident in patients with a baseline aneurysm diameter<40 mm (at 5 years: 84.0% vs. 58.8%, P=0.022). When adjusted for age, coronary artery disease and baseline aneurysm diameter, treatment with statins had significantly better survival freedom from aneurysm repair or rupture (P=0.012, RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.78). The use of statins seems to slightly decrease the AAA growth rate and to significantly improve freedom from aneurysm repair and rupture.