SGLT2 inhibitors for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in China: a cost-effectiveness study.

Background: The potential benefits of intervention with empagliflozin or dapagliflozin for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) were first demonstrated in the EMPEROR-Preserved and DELIVER studies. However, the cost-effectiveness of this intervention (empagliflozin or dapagliflozin) is yet to be established. Methods: In the context of Chinese healthcare, a Markov model was proposed, which incorporates clinical outcomes from the EMPEROR-Preserved and DELIVER studies, to predict the utility and costs over a lifetime. The time horizon was 20 years, and a 5% discount rate was applied to the costs and utilities. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) threshold against willingness to pay (WTP) was set as the primary outcome. The robustness of the decision was evaluated using sensitivity analyses. Results: After a simulated 20-year lifetime, a 72-year-old patient with HFpEF in the intervention group (empagliflozin) showed an increase of 0.44 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and $1,623.58 with an ICER of $3,691.56 per QALY, which was lower than the WTP threshold of $12,032.10 per QALY. A 72-year-old patient with HFpEF in the intervention group (dapagliflozin) showed an increase of 0.34 QALYs and $2,002.13 with an ICER of $5,907.79 per QALY, which was lower than the WTP threshold of $12,032.10 per QALY. One-way sensitivity analyses showed that cardiovascular (CV) mortality in the intervention and comparator groups was the most sensitive to the decision. Cost-effectiveness was demonstrated in the intervention group (empagliflozin or dapagliflozin) in 67.9% or 62.2% of 1000 Monte Carlo simulations, respectively. Conclusion: In Chinese healthcare, the interventions (empagliflozin or dapagliflozin) for HFpEF were more cost-effective than the comparators. Our study has provided a quantitative evaluation of the costs and benefits of such interventions for a lifetime using the model.

Short-term results of percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale guided by transoesophageal echocardiography in patients with cryptogenic stroke: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a risk factor for cryptogenic stroke (CS), and interventional therapy for PFO can reduce the recurrence rate of CS. However, interventional therapies are primarily guided by X-ray imaging, and data on regular post-surgical follow-up with the transthoracic ultrasound foaming test (UFT) are rare. Thus, this study aimed to assess the short-term (12 months) results of PFO occlusion guided by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and the results of regular UFTs. METHODS: Clinical records, echocardiographic data, and UFT results of 75 patients who underwent interventional therapy for PFO and CS were retrospectively analysed. The patients were grouped according to their preoperative UFT results: group A (n = 21), small volume of right-to-left shunts; group B (n = 22), moderate volume of right-to-left shunts; and group C (n = 32), large volume of right-to-left shunts. All patients were treated with an Amplatzer occluder under TEE guidance. UFT follow-up was conducted regularly until 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: No significant differences in preoperative data, length of hospital stay, or operative time were noted between the groups (p > 0.05). The length of the PFO and diameter of the occluder differed between the groups as follows: group A = group B < group C (p < 0.001). Notably, 1 patient in group C developed recurrent stroke 11 months postoperatively, and 2 patients in group C developed atrial arrhythmia, which improved after 3 months of antiarrhythmic treatment. However, 19 patients still had positive UFT results 12 months postoperatively. Furthermore, the positive UFT rate 12 months postoperatively differed between the groups as follows: group A = group B < group C (p < 0.05). A preoperative large-volume shunt was negatively associated with a negative UFT rate 12 months postoperatively (OR = 0.255, 95% CI: 0.104-0.625). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PFO and CS, interventional therapy guided by TEE could lead to satisfactory short-term (12 months) outcomes. Although the positive UFT rate gradually decreased, some patients still had positive UFT results 12 months postoperatively. Preoperatively, a large volume of right-to-left shunts and a longer PFO were the two risk factors for positive UFT results postoperatively. Further studies are required to clarify the relationship between postoperative positive UFT results and stroke recurrence.

Effect of VTILVOT variation rate on the assessment of fluid responsiveness in septic shock patients.

This study aimed to assess the predictive value of velocity time integral (VTI) of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) on volume expansion test (VET) as an indicator of volume responsiveness in septic shock patients. Septic shock patients undergoing mechanical ventilation were recruited. The hemodynamic parameters before and after VE were monitored by pulse indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) and echocardiography. Heart rate, cardiac index (CI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure, stroke volume variation (SVV), CI and variation of pulse pressure (PPV), and the changes in cardiac parameters (Dheart rate, Dmean arterial pressure, Dcentral venous pressure, DSVV, DCI, and DPPV) were determined. The relationships of hemodynamic parameters and their changes with DVTI were further evaluated with Pearson relation analysis. The value of these parameters in fluid responsiveness prediction was evaluated by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results showed that 44 VETs were performed in 44 septic shock patients with responsiveness in 24 patients and non-responsiveness in 20. The CI increased by ≥ 15% in responsive patients, but by<15% in non-responsive patients after VET. There were significant differences in the SVV and PPV after VET between responsive and non-responsive groups. DSVV, DPPV, and DCI were positively related to DVTI. The area under ROC curve (AUC) for SVV in fluid responsiveness prediction was 0.80, and the sensitivity and specificity of SVV were 66.5% and 95%, respectively, when the cut-off value was 24.8%. The AUC for PPV in fluid responsiveness prediction was 0.843, and the sensitivity and specificity of PPV were 83.3% and 75%, respectively, when the cut-off value was 25.8%. The AUC for DVTILVOT in fluid responsiveness prediction was 0.956, and the sensitivity and specificity were 87.5% and 95%, respectively, when the cut-off value was 15.9%. In conclusion, DVTILVOT is effective to predict fluid responsiveness after VET in mechanical ventilation patients with septic shock. It may serve as a new, noninvasive and functional hemodynamic parameter with the same accuracy to SVV.

Short-term results of interventional therapy for infants (7-36 months old) with patent ductus arteriosus and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common congenital heart disease. Interventional therapy is an important treatment for PDA. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated the safety and effectiveness of interventional therapy for infants (age, 0-36 months) with PDA and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the short-term (6 months) results and interventional therapy experience for infants with PDA and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Clinical records, echocardiographic data, and angiocardiography data of 28 infants (age, 7-36 months) who underwent interventional therapy for PDA and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension between December 2011 and January 2017 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All infants were treated using an Amplatzer occluder with local and deep sedation anesthesia under radiographic guidance. RESULTS: Infants with PDA and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension had poor growth. Trace residual shunts were found in two infants immediately after procedure; both had disappeared by 6 months after procedure. No significant interventional therapy-related complications occurred in the other cases. Pulmonary systolic pressure, left atrial dimension, and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension immediately after interventional therapy and 6 months later were lower than the preoperative levels (P < 0.05). The left atrial and left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions at 6 months after interventional therapy were smaller than those immediately after interventional therapy (P < 0.05). Pulmonary systolic pressure rates immediately after interventional therapy and 6 months later were not significantly different (P = 0.505). Moreover, there were no significant differences in the left ventricular ejection fraction before, immediately after, and at 6 months after interventional therapy (P = 0.628). CONCLUSIONS: For infants (age, 7-36 months) with PDA and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension, interventional therapy can achieve excellent immediate and short-term (6 months) results with careful preoperative evaluations, strict operative procedures, and careful follow-up.

Surgical management to conjoined twins in Shanghai area.

Conjoined twins are very rare congenital malformation. The aim of this study was to summarize our experiences of surgical separation on seven sets of conjoined twins, and improve the treatment of conjoined twins in the future. A retrospective review of surgical separation included data of prenatal diagnosis, associated malformation, timing of separation, intra- and postoperative management, and follow-up of six sets of conjoined twins at Shanghai Xin-Hua Hospital from 1980 to 2005 and one set at Shanghai Children's Hospital in 2002. Surgical separation was performed on seven sets of conjoined twins; six sets of thoracopagus-omphalapagus (including four sets of xipho-omphalopagus) and one set of ischiopagus. All sets presented varying degrees of severity of congenital cardiac malformations. Four sets were diagnosed prenatally by ultrasonography. Two sets of conjoined twins (case 2 and case 3) required emergent separation within 7 days after birth; both members of case 2 died within 2 days post operation, one member of case 3 died during operation while the other member survived. Five sets had scheduled separation undertaken more than 30 days after birth. One member of a set (case 6B) died 13 days after operation due to severe congenital cardiovascular anomalies. All other members of conjoined twins survived. Case 6A had a severe defect of the anterior thoracic cage and prosthesis of titanium alloy scaffold filled with silicone rubber was used to repair the defects successfully. Following up from 1980 to 2005, one member of a set (case 1A) died 4 years after operation due to pneumonia. Contact was lost to the surviving member of case 3 (ischiopagus). Other survivors of the separations had normal development. (1) Timing of operation and separation plan should be given according to the circumstances and the nature of the organ shared in each individual set of twins. (2) Prosthesis of titanium alloy scaffolds filled with silicone rubber may become one of viable methods for repairing severe defects of the thoracic cage.