Prolonged Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome After Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac surgery induces systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), leading to higher morbidity and mortality. There are no individualized predictors for worse outcomes or biomarkers for the multifactorial, excessive inflammatory response. The interest of this study was to evaluate whether a systematic use of the SIRS criteria could be used to predict postoperative outcomes beyond infection and sepsis, and if the development of an exaggerated inflammation response could be observed preoperatively. DESIGN: The study was observational, with prospectively enrolled patients. SETTING: This was a single institution study in a hospital setting combined with laboratory findings. PARTICIPANTS: The study included a cohort of 261 volunteer patients. INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, and were followed up to 90 days. Biomarker profiling was run preoperatively. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Altogether, 17 of 261 (6.4%) patients had prolonged SIRS, defined as fulfilling at least 2 criteria on 4 consecutive postoperative days. During hospitalization, postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) was found in 42.2% of patients, and stroke and transient ischemic attack in 3.8% of patients. Prolonged SIRS was a significant predictor of POAF (odds ratio [OR] 4.5, 95% CI 1.2-17.3), 90-day stroke (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.1-18.0), and mortality (OR 10.7, 95% CI 1.7-68.8). Biomarker assays showed that preoperative nerve growth factor and interleukin 5 levels were associated with prolonged SIRS (OR 5.6, 95%, CI 1.4-23.2 and OR 0.7, 95%, CI 0.4-1.0, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Nerve growth factor and interleukin 5 can be used to predict prolonged systemic inflammatory response, which is associated with POAF, stroke, and mortality.

Dual or single antiplatelet therapy after coronary surgery for acute coronary syndrome (TACSI trial): Rationale and design of an investigator-initiated, prospective, multinational, registry-based randomized clinical trial.

The TACSI trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03560310) tests the hypothesis that 1-year treatment with dual antiplatelet therapy with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and ticagrelor is superior to only ASA after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The TACSI trial is an investigator-initiated pragmatic, prospective, multinational, multicenter, open-label, registry-based randomized trial with 1:1 randomization to dual antiplatelet therapy with ASA and ticagrelor or ASA only, in patients undergoing first isolated CABG, with a planned enrollment of 2200 patients at Nordic cardiac surgery centers. The primary efficacy end point is a composite of time to all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or new coronary revascularization within 12 months after randomization. The primary safety end point is time to hospitalization due to major bleeding. Secondary efficacy end points include time to the individual components of the primary end point, cardiovascular death, and rehospitalization due to cardiovascular causes. High-quality health care registries are used to assess primary and secondary end points. The patients will be followed for 10 years. The TACSI trial will give important information useful for guiding the antiplatelet strategy in acute coronary syndrome patients treated with CABG.

Aortic calcification index predicts mortality and cardiovascular events in operatively treated patients with peripheral artery disease: A prospective PURE ASO cohort follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluates the association of aortic calcification with mortality and major adverse cardiovascular and leg events (MACEs and MALEs) in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The risk for mortality and MACEs and MALEs is considered in clinical decision-making. METHODS: This cohort found in 2012-2013 consists of 226 patients with symptomatic PAD referred to Turku University Hospital for invasive treatment. Follow-up data about mortality and survival without MACEs and MALEs were collected up to 5 years from the inclusion date, and aortic calcification index (ACI) was measured from patients with available imaging studies (164 of 226). ACIs' association with events and mortality was evaluated in Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier, and classification and regression tree analysis. RESULTS: All-cause mortality at 1, 3, and 5 years was 13.7% (31), 26.1% (59), and 46.9% (106), respectively. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, ACI and ACI > 43 were independent risk factors for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.13 per 10 units, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.22 and HR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.01-3.32, respectively) and for MACEs (HR: 1.10 per 10 units, 95% CI: 1.00-1.22 and HR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.67-5.91, respectively), but not for MALEs. Classification and regression tree analysis showed that ACI = 43 best divides cohort in relation to mortality. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that ACI > 43 is associated with greater mortality and occurrence of MACEs compared with those who have ACI ≤ 43 (log-rank P value .005 and .0012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Risk for mortality and MACEs is associated with high ACI. ACI can expose the risk in patients with PAD for further cardiovascular events and mortality.

Long-term outcomes of mechanical versus biological valve prosthesis in native mitral valve infective endocarditis.

Objectives. To study the long-term outcomes of mitral valve replacement with mechanical or biological valve prostheses in native mitral valve infective endocarditis patients. Desing. We conducted a retrospective, nationwide, multicenter cohort study with patients aged ≤70 years who were treated with mitral valve replacement for native mitral valve infective endocarditis in Finland between 2004 and 2017. Results. The endpoints were all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke, major bleeding, and mitral valve reoperations. The results were adjusted for baseline features (age, gender, comorbidities, history of drug abuse, concomitant surgeries, operational urgency, and surgical center). The median follow-up time was 6.1 years. The 12-year cumulative mortality rates were 36% for mechanical prostheses and 74% for biological prostheses (adj. HR 0.40; CI: 0.17-0.91; p = 0.03). At follow-up, the ischemic stroke had occurred in 19% of patients with mechanical prosthesis and 33% of those with a biological prosthesis (adj. p = 0.52). The major bleeding rates within the 12-year follow-up period were 30% for mechanical prosthesis and 13% for a biological prosthesis (adj. p = 0.29). The mitral valve reoperation rates were 13% for mechanical prosthesis and 12% for a biological prosthesis (adj. p = 0.50). Drug abuse history did not have a significant modifying impact on the results (interaction p = 0.51 for mortality and ≥0.13 for secondary outcomes). Conclusion. The use of mechanical mitral valve prosthesis is associated with lower long-term mortality compared to the biological prosthesis in non-elder native mitral valve infective endocarditis patients. The routine choice of biological mitral valve prostheses for this patient group is not supported by the results.

Metastable Atrial State Underlies the Primary Genetic Substrate for MYL4 Mutation-Associated Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia and is associated with heart failure, stroke, and increased mortality. The myocardial substrate for AF is poorly understood because of limited access to primary human tissue and mechanistic questions around existing in vitro or in vivo models. METHODS: Using an MYH6:mCherry knock-in reporter line, we developed a protocol to generate and highly purify human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes displaying physiological and molecular characteristics of atrial cells. We modeled human MYL4 mutants, one of the few definitive genetic causes of AF. To explore non-cell-autonomous components of AF substrate, we also created a zebrafish Myl4 knockout model, which exhibited molecular, cellular, and physiologic abnormalities that parallel those in humans bearing the cognate mutations. RESULTS: There was evidence of increased retinoic acid signaling in both human embryonic stem cells and zebrafish mutant models, as well as abnormal expression and localization of cytoskeletal proteins, and loss of intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide + hydrogen. To identify potentially druggable proximate mechanisms, we performed a chemical suppressor screen integrating multiple human cellular and zebrafish in vivo endpoints. This screen identified Cx43 (connexin 43) hemichannel blockade as a robust suppressor of the abnormal phenotypes in both models of MYL4 (myosin light chain 4)-related atrial cardiomyopathy. Immunofluorescence and coimmunoprecipitation studies revealed an interaction between MYL4 and Cx43 with altered localization of Cx43 hemichannels to the lateral membrane in MYL4 mutants, as well as in atrial biopsies from unselected forms of human AF. The membrane fraction from MYL4-/- human embryonic stem cell derived atrial cells demonstrated increased phospho-Cx43, which was further accentuated by retinoic acid treatment and by the presence of risk alleles at the Pitx2 locus. PKC (protein kinase C) was induced by retinoic acid, and PKC inhibition also rescued the abnormal phenotypes in the atrial cardiomyopathy models. CONCLUSIONS: These data establish a mechanistic link between the transcriptional, metabolic and electrical pathways previously implicated in AF substrate and suggest novel avenues for the prevention or therapy of this common arrhythmia.

Infective endocarditis and outcomes of mitral valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the long-term outcomes of mitral valve replacement (MVR) in native mitral valve infective endocarditis (IE). METHODS: Multicentre, population-based cohort register study consisted of 1233 consecutive adult patients treated with first-time MVR in Finland. Mitral valve IE was diagnosed in 170 of these patients. Propensity score matching resulted in 134 pairs with balanced baseline characteristics. The median follow-up was 6.1 years. RESULTS: Pre-operative native mitral valve IE was associated with an increased hazard of 10-year mortality (38.8% vs 30.5%; HR 2.13; CI 1.17-3.85; P = .013) after MVR. Occurrence of major bleeding was higher in IE patients (26.0%) vs non-IE patients (23.4%) during the 10-year follow-up (HR 2.80; CI 1.01-7.77; P = .048). Hospital admission duration after MVR was longer in IE patients (median 28 vs 11 days; P < .0001). Cumulative ischaemic stroke rate was similar between patient groups (12.1% in IE vs 15.1% in non-IE; P = .493). Re-sternotomy was performed in 13.4% of IE patients and 9.0% of non-IE patients (P = .261). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with native mitral valve IE have a higher risk of death and major bleeding after MVR than matched patients without IE. Results highlight the importance of complication prevention in these patients.

Surgical aortic valve replacement and infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: We wanted to investigate the influence of native-valve infective endocarditis (IE) on long-term outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). METHODS: Native-valve patients with IE (n = 191) were compared to propensity score-matched patients without IE (n = 191), all treated with SAVR, in a multicentre, population-based cohort register study in Finland. The median follow-up was 6.2 years. RESULTS: Infective endocarditis as the indication for SAVR was associated with an increased hazard of 10-year mortality (37.1% vs 24.2%; HR 1.83; CI 1.03-3.26; P = .039). Ischaemic stroke was also more frequent in IE patients during 10-year follow-up (15.8% vs 7.5%; HR 3.80; CI 1.42-10.18; P = .008). Major bleeding within first year after SAVR was more frequent in patients with IE (7.0% vs 2.9%; P = .038). Ten-year major bleeding rate was 32.4% in IE vs 24.5% in non-IE groups (P = .174). Aortic valve re-operation rate was 4.3% in IE vs 8.4% in non-IE groups (P = .975). Admission duration after SAVR was longer in IE (median 29 vs 9 days; P < .0001). There was no difference in 30-day mortality after SAVR. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with native-valve IE have a higher risk of death, ischaemic stroke, and early major bleeding after SAVR than matched patients without IE. Results confirm the high risk for complications of IE patients after SAVR and highlight the importance of vigorous prevention of both stroke and bleeding after SAVR in these patients.

Intravenous Interferon-ß1a for the Treatment of Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Acute Myocardial Infarct in Pigs.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the potential of intravenously administered porcine recombinant interferon-ß1a (IFN-ß1a) for myocardial protection during acute ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in an experimental animal model. METHODS: Twenty-two piglets (mean ± standard deviation, 26.7 ± 1.65 kg) were assigned to either the IFN group (n = 12) or the control group (n = 10). IR injury was induced by occluding the distal left descending coronary artery for 30 minutes, with a reperfusion period of 6 h. In the IFN group, the animals received 12.5 µg IFN-ß1a intravenously repeatedly; the control group received saline solution. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cardiac troponin I (TnI) were measured, and the amount of myocardial damage was quantified by analyzing myocardial apoptosis and the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of methylene blue-stained cardiac tissue. RESULTS: In the IFN group, significantly more premature deaths occurred compared with the control group (25% versus 17%, P = .013). Between the groups, the mean heart rate was higher in the IFN group (102 ± 22 versus 80 ± 20 beats per minute, P = .02). IL-6 and TnI levels were comparable between the groups, with no significant difference, and there was no difference between the study groups in myocardial apoptosis in the infarcted myocardium. The percentage of MFI differed significantly between the IFN and control groups (90.75% ± 4.90% versus 96.02% ± 2.73%, P = .01). CONCLUSION: In this acute IR injury animal model, IFN-ß1a did not protect the myocardium from IR injury, but rather increased some of the unfavorable outcomes studied.

Sex Differences in Outcomes Following Acute Coronary Syndrome Treated With Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

BACKGROUND: A person's sex is suggested to impact their outcome after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and cardiac surgery, although evidence in controversial. This study examined sex differences in outcomes of ACS patients treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 year with ACS and treated with first-time isolated CABG in Finland between 2004-2014 were retrospectively identified from a national registry (n=6,683, 24% women). Propensity score matching (1:1) was used to identify 1,607 women and 1,607 men with comparable baseline features (mean age 71 years and follow-up 7.1 years). In-hospital outcomes of all matched patients and long-term (10-year) outcomes of hospital survivors were studied. RESULTS: Women had higher in-hospital mortality (4.5 vs 2.6%; HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.18-2.86; p=0.008) but lower long-term all-cause mortality (28.3 vs 34.4%; HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.58-0.84; p<0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (19.5 vs 23.7%; HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.86; p=0.001) as well as long-term major bleeding (11.6 vs 13.6%; HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.97; p=0.032). Re-sternotomy was also less common among women (3.7 vs 5.4%; OR 0.69; CI 0.49-0.96; p=0.029). There were no differences in length of stay (8.8 days in women vs 9.0 days in men) or in the occurrence of a composite major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) in long-term follow-up (43.0% in women vs 46.5% in men; p=0.800). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes after CABG-treated ACS differed between sexes. Women had higher in-hospital mortality, while men had higher long-term mortality and occurrence of major bleeding. The long-term risk of combined MACE was comparable between sexes.

Acute type A aortic dissection - a review.

Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is still one of the most challenging diseases that cardiac surgeons encounter. This review is based on the current literature and includes the results from the Nordic Consortium for Acute Type-A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD) database. It covers different aspects of ATAAD and concentrates on the outcome of surgical repair. The diagnosis is occasionally delayed, and ATAAD is usually lethal if prompt repair is not performed. The dynamic nature of the disease, the variation in presentation and clinical course, and the urgency of treatment require significant attentiveness. Many surgical techniques and perfusion strategies of varying complexity have been described, ranging from simple interposition graft to total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk and valve-sparing root reconstruction. Although more complex techniques may provide long-term benefit in selected patients, they require significant surgical expertise and experience. Short-term survival is first priority so an expedited operation that fits in with the surgeon's level of expertise is in most cases appropriate.

Population trends in aortic valve surgery in Finland between 2001 and 2016.

Objectives. To investigate nationwide changes in procedure rates, patient selection, and prognosis after all surgical aortic valve replacements. Design. Patients undergoing primary surgical aortic valve replacement between 2001 and 2016 were identified from three nationwide registers with compulsory reporting to examine trends in aortic valve surgery over four four-year time periods. Results. A total of 12,139 surgical aortic valve replacement procedures (mean age 61.9 ± 11.8 years, 39.1% women) were performed. The total number of biological valves increased from 1001 (42.9%) to 2526 (75.5%) from 2001-2004 to 2013-2016 (p < .001). During the first and last time periods the comorbidity burden increased; share of patients with hypertension increased from 37.5% to 46.9% (p < .001), diabetes from 14% to 16.5% (p = .01) and previous stroke from 5.2% to 7.2% (p = .01). The proportion of women undergoing surgery decreased from 40% to 36.1% from 2001-2004 to 2013-2016, respectively (p = .01). Overall 28-day mortality was 3.5%. In patients with biologic valve the multivariable-adjusted risk of short-term mortality decreased steadily in every four-year period from 2001-2004 to 2005-2008 (HR, 0.66; 95% CI 0.47-9.92), 2009-2012 (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.39-0.75) and 2013-2016 (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.29-0.58), whereas short-term mortality remained similar in patients with mechanical valve. The risk of four-year postoperative mortality after all surgical aortic valve replacements stayed constant. Conclusions. The use of biologic aortic valve prosthesis has increased from 2001 to 2016. The proportion of women has declined markedly. The short-term mortality has decreased and the long-term mortality has stayed constant despite increasing comorbidity burden.

Sex Differences in Long-Term Outcomes After Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: A Nationwide Propensity-matched Study.

OBJECTIVES: Women are considered to have poorer prognoses after cardiac surgery, although evidence is scarce. The authors studied sex differences and long-term outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). DESIGN: Nationwide retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Six public hospitals and 2 private hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: All first-time SAVR (±coronary artery bypass surgery) patients (excluding endocarditis) aged ≥18 with a prosthetic valve were retrospectively identified from a national registry (n = 7616). Propensity score matching identified 2814 men and 2814 women with comparable baseline features. INTERVENTIONS: No intervention. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Outcomes were survival, major bleeding, ischemic stroke, infective endocarditis, and reoperation. Ten-year survival was 66.8% in men and 67.5% in women (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09; p = 0.107). Major bleeding occurred in 21.5% of men and 19.7% of women (HR 1.36; confidence interval [CI] 1.13-1.63; p = 0.0009) within 10 years, with similar results for mechanical and biological prosthesis. Bleeding was gastrointestinal in 38.5%, intracranial in 27.6%, and 33.9% in other sites with no sex difference in location. Ischemic stroke occurred in 12.5% of men and 13.3% of women within 10 years (HR 1.06; p = 0.614), and 4.7% of men and 2.6% of women (HR 1.77; CI 1.24-2.51; p = 0.001) had infective endocarditis, but association was present only with biological prosthesis (interaction p = 0.02). Aortic valve re-surgery was more common in men at 1 (HR 2.98; CI 1.27-7.00; p = 0.013) and 5 years after SAVR, but not at 10 years (2.4% v 3.8%; p = 0.189). CONCLUSIONS: Baseline-matched long-term survival after SAVR is similar between sexes. Men had increased risk of bleeding, early re-surgery after SAVR, and infective endocarditis when using biological prosthesis.

Prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dilatations in patients with intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) is higher in patients with aortic aneurysms. However, there are lack of studies investigating prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) in patients with IAs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for thoracic aortic dilatations (TADs) and TAAs in patients with IAs. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from 1777 patients with diagnosed IAs at our institution between 2006 and 2016. We included 411 patients with saccular IAs and available imaging studies (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) of all thoracic aortic segments. TAD was defined according to age- and sex-matched normograms, and TAA as a diameter of greater than 4.0 cm. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients (20%) had TAD or TAA. The prevalence of TADs and TAAs were 18% (n = 74) and 8% (n = 31) without significant difference between unruptured and ruptured IAs (P = .7). Of the 74 patients with TAD, 22 (30%) had multiple TADs and 66% of the TADs located in the aortic arch. Older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; P = .006), rheumatic disease (OR, 4.73; P = .009) and alcohol abuse (OR, 4.77; P = .01) were significant risk factors for TAD/TAA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of TADs and TAAs is considerably greater in patients with IAs compared with reports from the general population, suggesting that IAs might be associated with aortopathy and might share a similar pathogenetic background with TADs/TAAs. Especially patients with IAs and a history of rheumatic disease and/or alcohol abuse are at high risk for TADs/TAAs.

Preoperative esophageal stenting and short-term outcomes of surgery for esophageal cancer in a population-based study from Finland and Sweden.

Population-based studies examining whether preoperative esophageal stenting influences the short-term outcomes after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer are lacking. This nationwide cohort combining data from Finland and Sweden was conducted to cover this gap. Patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer (T ≥ 3 and/or N ≥ 1, M0) who underwent esophagectomy between 2007 and 2014 were identified from nationwide registries in Finland and Sweden. The study exposure was preoperative stenting. The primary outcomes were 30- and 90-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay and 30- and 90-day readmission rates. Multivariable Cox and linear regression analyses provided hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, tumor histology, year of surgery, and country. Of all 1029 participating patients who underwent surgery for locally advanced esophageal cancer, 127 (12.3%) had an esophageal stent inserted preoperatively. The absolute 30-day mortality rates were higher in stented patients (3.9%) than in those without a stent (1.6%), but the HR was not statistically significantly increased (HR 2.42; 95% CI 0.85-6.92). Similarly, the absolute 90-day mortality rates were increased after preoperative stenting (11.8%) compared to no stenting (7.0%), but again the HR was not statistically significantly increased (HR 1.68; 95% CI 0.95-2.98). Preoperative stenting did not influence length of hospital stay or readmission rates. The possibly increased short-term mortality after preoperative stenting in patients who undergo esophagectomy for esophageal cancer indicated in this study suggests a cautious approach to preoperative stenting until future research or meta-analyses provide a more definite answer.

Short-Term Outcomes Following Minimally Invasive and Open Esophagectomy: A Population-Based Study from Finland and Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies comparing minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and open esophagectomy (OE) relative to 90-day postoperative mortality are needed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare short-term outcomes following these two techniques for esophageal cancer. METHODS: Patients undergoing MIE (n = 217) or OE (n = 1397) for esophageal cancer between 2007 and 2014 were identified from nationwide complete registries in Finland and Sweden. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality, and secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality, length of hospital stay, and 30- and 90-day readmission rate. Results were adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, tumor histology, surgery year, and country. RESULTS: Ninety-day mortality rates were 4.1% (n = 9 of 217) for MIE and 6.8% (n = 95 of 1397) for OE; 90-day mortality was halved after MIE [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24-0.99]. There was no difference in 30-day mortality (adjusted HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.29-2.66). Median hospital stay was 15 days for MIE and 16 days for OE (adjusted ß -0.17, standard error 0.08, p = 0.030). The 30-day readmission rates were 8.9% after MIE and 12.0% after OE (adjusted HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34-0.94), while the 90-day readmission rates were 28.8% and 33.6%, respectively, without a statistically significant difference (adjusted HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.61-1.10). CONCLUSIONS: This population-based study from Finland and Sweden revealed lower 90-day mortality, shorter hospital stay, and lower 30-day readmission rates after MIE compared with OE for esophageal cancer. These findings support the use of minimally invasive approaches.

Population trends in mitral valve surgery in Finland between 1997 and 2014: the finnish CVD register.

OBJECTIVES: Contemporary, nationwide data on trends in mitral valve surgery are scarce. Our aim was to investigate changes in procedure rates, patient selection, and post-procedural prognosis of open-heart mitral valve surgery in Finland. DESIGN: We combined data from three nationwide administrative registers with compulsory reporting. We identified patients who had undergone first-ever open-heart mitral valve surgery between 1997 and 2014 and followed them for adverse events. We examined trends in mitral valve surgery over three six-year time periods (1997-2002, 2003-2008, and 2009-2014). RESULTS: 3684 mitral valve procedures (mean age: 67.0 ± 10.9 years, 42.6% women) were performed in 1997-2014 in Finland. During this period, mitral valve repair operations became more common than replacements and we observed an increasing trend in the use of bioprosthetic valves. Between 1997-2002 and 2009-2014, the mean age of patients undergoing mitral valve surgery and the proportion of urgent surgeries increased (p < .001 for both). The proportion of women undergoing surgery decreased while the share of patients with hypertension (p = .023) or diabetes (p = .026) increased. The multivariable-adjusted risk of 28-day (hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.83) and 6-year (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.97) post-operative mortality was lower in the last six-year period than in 1994-1998. CONCLUSIONS: Short- and long-term mortality of mitral valve surgery patients in Finland has decreased from 1997 to 2014 despite the patients being older and having more comorbidities. Understanding the changing characteristics and prognosis of these patients is important for the interpretation of previous and future cohort studies and trials.

Early and late outcomes after open ascending aortic surgery: 47-year experience in a single centre.

The aims of the study are to describe the long-term survival of patients undergoing primary open ascending aortic surgery and to portray the evolution of aortic surgery during six decades in a single centre. Included were all 614 patients who underwent primary ascending aortic surgery in 1968-2014 at one Nordic university hospital. Patients were identified and data were collected from patient records and surgical logs. Mortality data were acquired from the national registry. Median follow-up was 11.2 years using reverse Kaplan-Meier method. Overall 30-day survival was 91.2% and for 30-day survivor rates were 86.9, 77.6, 52.1, 38.3 and 26.7% at 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 years. There was no significant difference in long-term survival for 30-day survivors (p = 0.105) between patients treated emergently for dissection/rupture and electively (mainly ascending aortic aneurysms). On Cox regression era of surgery (p = 0.006), increasing age (p < 0.001) and indication (p < 0.001) were predictors of 30-day mortality. Arch involvement indicated twofold risk (HR 2.09, p = 0.05) compared to non-arch involved. Only increasing age (p < 0.001) predicted long-term mortality. There was a sixfold risk of 30-day mortality in the earliest era compared to the latest (p = 0.03). After the early postoperative phase following ascending aortic surgery, the surgical indication and urgency of the index operation have no significant impact on long-term survival. The very long term survival after ascending aortic surgery is excellent for 30-day survivors and improved through the era. Surgical treatment has improved and perioperative mortality has decreased significantly in 47 years.

Pericardial drainage and sampling.

Invasive treatment of pericardial effusion comes into question when the volume of liquid in the pericardium limits the pumping action, the cause of effusion is unclear, the response to conservative treatment has been poor, or administration of a drug into the pericardium is desired. A number of surgical means or puncture techniques are available for pericardial drainage. We present the indications and modes of treatment for invasive treatment of pericardial effusion. Thrombi, pus or air may also occasionally be present in the pericardium, limiting the heart's pumping action.

The Nordic Consortium for Acute type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD): objectives and design.

OBJECTIVES: The Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD) is a collaborative effort of Nordic cardiac surgery centers to study acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). Here, we outline the overall objectives and the design of NORCAAD. DESIGN: NORCAAD currently consists of eight centers in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Data was collected for patients undergoing surgery for ATAAD from 2005 to 2014. A total of 194 variables were retrospectively collected including demographics, past medical history, preoperative medications, symptoms at presentation, operative variables, complications, bleeding and blood transfusions, need for late reoperations, 30-day mortality and long-term survival. RESULTS: Information was gathered in the database for 1159 patients, of which 67.6% were male. The mean age was 61.5 ± 12.1 years. The mean follow-up was 3.1 ± 2.9 years with a total of 3535 patient years. CONCLUSIONS: NORCAAD provides a foundation for close collaboration between cardiac surgery centers in the Nordic countries. Substudies in progress include: short-term outcomes, long-term survival, time interval from diagnosis until operation, effects of surgical techniques, malperfusion syndrome, renal failure, bleeding and neurological complications on outcomes and the rate of late reoperations.