Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic and Reduced Surgical Site Infection After Cardiac Surgery: A Potential Blessing in Disguise.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about drastic hygienic measures, one upside of which might be the mitigated occurrence of surgical site infection (SSI). This study investigated the association of the pandemic with SSI occurrence after cardiac surgeries. Patients and Methods: From 2014 to 2022, patients undergoing cardiac surgery were included and categorized into pre-pandemic and during-pandemic groups. Surgical site infections were classified into harvest-site, superficial sternal, and complex sternal infection. Multiple logistic regression and inverse probability weighting assessed the association of the pandemic with SSI. Results: Among a total of 26,143 patients, 793 SSIs occurred. The during-pandemic patients were younger (61.87 ± 10.58 vs. 65.64 ± 11.82) with a higher male proportion (70.1% vs. 67.4%) and a higher prevalence of all studied comorbidities/risk factors (expect cigarette smoking). Total SSI rate decreased substantially from 3.3% before COVID-19 to 1.8% afterward (p < 0.001). Inverse probability weights analyses evinced an independent association of the pandemic with a reduced risk of total (adjusted odds ratio [OR]; 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.78), harvest-site (adjusted OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.19-0.70), and superficial sternal infection (adjusted OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43-0.81). No significant association was observed with complex sternal site infection (adjusted OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.55-2.01). Multivariable regression recapitulated these findings. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic independently pertained to more than a 40% reduction in SSI occurrence, particularly affecting harvest-site and superficial sternal infections. However, there remains the possibility of the implications of other known and unknown confounders on the observed association. To some extent, the decrease in SSIs after the pandemic can be justified by reinforced hygienic precautions, emphasizing the necessity of extending the adherence to these measurements into the post-COVID-19 era to maintain the status quo.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection in patients with prior psychophysical stress: a systematic review of case reports and case series.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an underdiagnosed cause of acute coronary syndrome, particularly in younger women. Due to limited information about SCAD, case reports and case series can provide valuable insights into its features and management. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the features of SCAD patients who experienced psychophysical stress before the SCAD event. METHODS: We conducted an electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception until January 7, 2023. We included case reports or series that described patients with SCAD who had experienced psychophysical stress before SCAD. Patients with pregnancy-associated SCAD were excluded from our analysis. RESULTS: In total, we included 93 case reports or series describing 105 patients with SCAD. The average patient age was 44.29 ± 13.05 years and a total of 44 (41.9%) of patients were male. Among the included SCAD patients the most prevalent comorbidities were fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and hypertension with the prevalence of 36.4 and 21.9%, respectively. Preceding physical stress was more frequently reported in men than in women; 38 out of 44 (86.4%) men reported physical stress, while 36 out of 61 (59.1%) females reported physical stress (p value = 0.009). On the other hand, the opposite was true for emotional stress (men: 6 (13.6%)), women: 29 (47.6%), p value < 0.001). Coronary angiography was the main diagnostic tool. The most frequently involved artery was the left anterior descending (LAD) (62.9%). In our study, recurrence of SCAD due to either the progression of a previous lesion or new SCAD in another coronary location occurred more frequently in those treated conservatively, however the observed difference was not statistically significant (p value = 0.138). CONCLUSION: While physical stress seems to precede SCAD in most cases, emotional stress is implicated in females more than males.

Heart surgery over two decades: what we have learned about results and changing risks.

OBJECTIVES: Using the cardiac surgery database is of high importance in referral centers and can lead to a better quality of care for patients. Tehran Heart Center (THC) is a cardiovascular referral center that was inaugurated in 2001. In this report, we aimed to present the third report of trends in patients' cardiovascular risk factors and surgical procedures from 2002 to 2021 that have been gathered for all THC patients. METHODS: This serial cross-sectional study was conducted at Tehran Heart Center from 2002 to 2021. All patients undergoing cardiac surgeries were eligible to enter the study (N = 63,974). Those with miscellaneous types of surgeries were excluded (N = 9556). The distribution of cardiac surgeries (including isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), isolated valve, and CABG + valve surgeries) and their respective in-hospital mortality were recorded. Furthermore, 20-year trends in the prevalence of various cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) among the following groups were evaluated: a) isolated CABG, b) aortic valve replacement/repair for aortic stenosis (AS/AVR/r), and c) isolated other valve surgeries (IVS). RESULTS: A total of 54,418 patients (male: 70.7%, age: 62.7 ± 10.8 years) comprised the final study population, with 84.5% prevalence of isolated CABG. Overall, the AS/AVR/r group was in between the CABG and IVS groups concerning CVRFs distribution. Excluding some exceptions for the AS/AVR/r group (in which the small sample size (N = 909) precluded observing a clear trend), all studied CVRFs demonstrated an overall rising trend from 2002 to 2021 in all three groups. Regarding in-hospital mortality, the highest rate was recorded as 4.0% in 2020, while the lowest rate was 2.0% in 2001. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated CABG remained the most frequent procedure in THC. Notable, increasing trends in CVRFs were observed during this 20-year period and across various types of cardiac surgeries, which highlights the clinical and policy-making implications of our findings.

Association of New-Onset Seizures With SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Importance: Seizures have been reported as an adverse effect of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. However, no study has answered the question of whether there is any association between seizures in the general population and COVID-19 vaccination. Objective: To evaluate the seizure incidence among SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients compared with those who received a placebo. Data Sources: A systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, review publications, editorials, letters to editors, and conference papers, along with the references of the included studies from December 2019 to July 7, 2023. Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) reporting seizure incidence with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis: This study is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework and used the Mantel-Haenszel method with random- and common-effect models. The risk of bias of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane assessment tool for RCTs. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcome of interest was new-onset seizure incidence proportion compared among (1) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients and (2) placebo recipients. Results: Six RCTs were included in the study. Results of the pooled analysis comparing the incidence of new-onset seizure between the 63 521 vaccine and 54 919 placebo recipients in the 28-day follow-up after vaccine/placebo injection showed no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (9 events [0.014%] in vaccine and 1 event [0.002%] in placebo recipients; odds ratio [OR], 2.70; 95% CI, 0.76-9.57; P = .12; I2 = 0%, τ2 = 0, Cochran Q P = .74). Likewise, in the entire blinded-phase period after injection, with a median of more than 43 days, no significant difference was identified between the vaccine and placebo groups regarding incident new-onset seizure (13/43 724 events [0.03%] in vaccine and 5/40 612 [0.012%] in placebo recipients; OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 0.86-3.23, P > .99, I2 = 0%, τ2 = 0, Cochran Q P = .95). Conclusions and Relevance: According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of new-onset seizure incidence between vaccinated individuals and placebo recipients.

Long-Term Effects of Opium Consumption Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A 10-year Follow-Up Study.

Background: Opium consumption has been an overlooked health issue in the Iranian population, and the prognostic role of opium consumption in patients undergoing coronary revascularization is unknown. Hypothesis: We aimed to assess the association between opium consumption and long-term cardiovascular outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We screened 2203 consecutive patients who underwent elective PCI between April 2009 and April 2010 at Tehran Heart Center. Exclusion criteria were unsuccessful PCI, non-elective PCI, and missing opium use data. Opium consumption was defined as self-reported ever use of any traditional opium substances. Outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality and a composite of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The association between opium use and study outcomes was evaluated using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method. Cumulative hazard curves were demonstrated to further assess the association visually. Furthermore, the effect of opium consumption on individual components of MACCE was evaluated in a competing risk setting. Results: A total of 2025 elective PCI patients were included (age: 58.7 ± 10.67, 29.1% women), among whom 297 (14.6%) patients were opium users. After a median follow-up of 10.7 years, opium consumption was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (IPTW-hazard ratio [HR] = 1.705, 95% CI: 1.125-2.585; P = 0.012) and MACCE (IPTW-HR = 1.578, 95% CI: 1.156-2.153; P = 0.004). The assessment of MACCE components suggested a non-significant borderline trend for higher non-fatal myocardial infarction (IPTW-sub-distribution HR [SHR] = 1.731, 95% CI: 0.928-3.231; P = 0.084) and mortality (IPTW-SHR = 1.441, 95% CI: 0.884-2.351; P = 0.143) among opium users. Conclusions: Opium consumption is associated with a more than 50% increase in long-term risk of mortality and MACCE in patients undergoing PCI. These findings accentuate the importance of preventive strategies to quit opium addiction in this population.

Factors Affecting Late Atrial Fibrillation and Its Association With Coronary Artery Bypass Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Although predictors and outcomes of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) are well studied, evidence is lacking concerning postdischarge late/recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF). This study evaluated factors affecting late/recurrent AF and its association with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) outcomes in a real-world setting. METHODS: From 2012 through 2016, 5175 patients were included. Independent factors associated with late/recurrent AF were identified in a competing risk setting. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate the association between late/recurrent AF and study outcomes, consisting of all-cause mortality, major adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events, acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular events, and heart failure admissions. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 60 months (quartile 1-quartile 3, 59.3-60.7 months), late/recurrent AF developed in 85 patients (1.64%). Independent factors associated with late/recurrent AF were age (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07), left-ventricular ejection fraction (sHR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99), length of stay (sHR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04), and POAF (sHR, 4.02; 95% CI, 2.50-6.45). Late/recurrent AF was not significantly associated with all-cause mortality and major adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events at unadjusted or adjusted levels (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.50-1.28] and 0.74 [95% CI, 0.48-1.13], respectively). Nevertheless, it significantly increased the unadjusted risk of cerebrovascular events (hazard ratio, 2.28; 95% CI, 01.07-4.87), which disappeared after adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with advanced age, a lower left-ventricular ejection fraction, and POAF are more likely to have late/recurrent clinical AF. Albeit counterintuitive, late/recurrent AF was not independently associated with worse midterm post-CABG outcomes. These observations need to be further elucidated in larger-scale studies and interpreted in the context of a developing country with limited resources for late AF surveillance.

Effects of cardiac rehabilitation on inflammatory biomarkers in unstable ischemic heart disease patients following percutaneous coronary intervention: a randomized controlled study.

INTRODUCTION: Several blood inflammatory markers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), are linked to increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to evaluate these inflammatory markers after cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with unstable ischemic heart disease (UIHD) who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A cohort of 115 patients with successful PCI due to UIHD enrolled in the study from January 2018 to March 2021. We used a permuted block stratified randomization technique (2 : 1 ratio). Seventy-seven patients were randomized to the CR group and 38 patients to the control group. The CR group underwent a 12-week pre-specified CR regimen. Blood samples were taken at baseline and follow-up at 12 weeks for both groups. RESULT: Among the 115 patients, 33 patients were female. The mean age was (53 ±â€…5.55 years) in the control and (53 ±â€…6.09 years) in the CR group. The two groups were comparable regarding their baseline characteristics and the values of the inflammatory markers. By contrast, at 12 weeks, the inflammatory marker values were significantly lower in the CR group compared to the control group; hs-CRP: 0.11 [0.08-0.14] vs. 0.21 [0.19-0.21], P -value <0.001; NLR: 2.17 [1.42-2.43] vs. 2.26 [2.07-2.6], P -value: 0.016; PLR: 91.2821 [63.3333-103.2000] vs. 92.600 [84.6154-110.0000], P -value: 0.027. CONCLUSION: CR after PCI in UIHD patients may attenuate some inflammatory markers, which might benefit cardiovascular health. Further studies are required to evaluate these findings with longer follow-up and the powered to measure major cardiovascular event rates.

Association of anti-Ro52 autoantibody with interstitial lung disease in autoimmune diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is an important manifestation of autoimmune diseases that can lead to morbidity and mortality. Although several autoantibodies have been linked with ILD presentation and adverse outcomes, the association of anti-Ro52 antibody with ILD is less studied. Hence, we investigated this association in various autoimmune diseases in the current study. DESIGN: We designed a systematic review and meta-analysis and did a comprehensive search from inception until 2 January 2023. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was conducted in four electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Observational studies that reported ILD diagnosis (outcome) and anti-Ro antibody (exposure) status in any autoimmune conditions (population) were included. The association between rapidly progressive ILD (RP-ILD) and anti-Ro52 was studied in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Collected data included study characteristics and ORs with 95% CIs. Quality assessment was performed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies. Random effects meta-analysis was used to pool the effect estimates. RESULTS: A total of 2353 studies were identified, from which 59 articles met the eligibility criteria. Anti-Ro52/SSA positivity was associated with ILD in all autoimmune disease subgroups: IIM (OR=3.08; 95% CI: 2.18 to 4.35; p value<0.001; I2=49%), systemic lupus (OR=2.43; 95% CI: 1.02 to 5.79; p=0.046; I2=71%), Sjogren (OR=1.77; 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.87; p=0.021; I2=73%), systemic sclerosis (OR=1.71; 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.83; p=0.036; I2=43%), mixed connective tissue disease (OR=3.34; 95% CI: 1.82 to 6.13; p<0.001; I2=0%). Additionally, anti-Ro52-positive myopathy patients were more likely to have simultaneous RP-ILD (OR=2.69; 95% CI:1.50 to 4.83; p<0.001; I2=71%). CONCLUSION: Anti-Ro52/SSA positivity is associated with a higher frequency of ILD diagnosis in various autoimmune diseases. Anti-Ro52/SSA is also linked with a more severe lung involvement (RP-ILD). Future studies can investigate the benefits of screening for anti-Ro52 and its association with ILD development. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022381447.

Association of seizure with COVID-19 vaccines in persons with epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Seizure aggravation following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines is a major cause behind vaccine hesitancy among persons with epilepsy (PwE), resulting in lower immunization rates. We systematically reviewed seizure-activity-related events in PwE following COVID-19 vaccination. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, until January 31, 2023, and included articles reporting seizure activity-related events in PwE receiving COVID-19 vaccination. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses were followed. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022312475). Outcomes included pooled incidence proportions of (a) increased seizure frequency, (b) status epilepticus (SE), and (c) change in seizure type. Of the 2207 studies, 16 entered the meta-analysis. The pooled incidence proportion of increased seizure frequency (16 studies-3245 PwE) was 5% (95% CI: 3%-7%, I2 = 52%). Regarding increased seizure frequency, no significant difference was observed between mRNA and viral vector (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.49-2.52, I2 = 0%), and between mRNA and inactivated virus (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 0.27-9.37; I2 = 0%). The pooled incidence proportion of SE (15 studies-2387 PwE) was 0.08% (95% CI: 0.02%-0.33%, I2 = 0%). Ultimately, the pooled incidence proportion of change in seizure type (7 studies-1172 PwE) was 1% (95% CI: 1%-2%, I2 = 0%). The meta-analysis revealed post-COVID-19-vaccination increased seizure frequency in 5% of PwE, with no difference between mRNA and viral vector or inactivated virus vaccines. Furthermore, we found 0.08% and 1% incidence proportions for postvaccination SE and change in seizure type, respectively. While noteworthy, these values are far less than reports for COVID-19 infection, emphasizing vaccination importance in preventing COVID-19 consequences in PwE.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is associated with adverse outcomes following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: Patients presenting with acute STEMI who underwent CABG between September 2015 and November 2020 were included. Among 354 patients, 222 (62.7%) underwent PPCI prior to CABG (PPCI+CABG group) and were compared with the rest of the patients (CABG only group). The effects of PPCI on primary endpoints---including in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and bleeding events---were investigated using the stabilised inverse probability weighting method (S-IPW). Further, in-hospital mortality in various PPCI subgroups was analysed using univariable regression. RESULTS: Patients with and without PPCI were comparable regarding their baseline and surgical characteristics, except that those without PPCI were more likely to have left-main disease (29.5% vs 16.2%, p-value=0.003). Among the PPCI+CABG group, 3.6% mortality and 55.9% bleeding events occurred, and the LOS was 7 [5-10] days. The respective figures for the CABG only group were 4.5%, 50.8%, and 7 [6-10.5] days. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention, as a whole, was not significantly associated with either morality (S-IPW odds ratio (S-IPW OR) 0.61; p=0.393), LOS logarithm (S-IPW ß -0.050; p=0.403), or bleeding events (S-IPW OR 1.06; p=0.821). Nevertheless, the unadjusted mortality risk was significantly higher in complicated PPCIs compared with the CABG only group (OR 7.50, 95% CI 2.03-27.77); it was also higher among some other PPCI subgroups, albeit non-significantly. CONCLUSION: This study found that PPCI did not confer additional risk regarding in-hospital mortality, LOS, or bleeding among patients with acute STEMI who underwent CABG. However, some PPCI subgroups, especially those with complicated PPCI, were at increased risk.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hospitalization Rates due to Prosthetic Valve Thrombosis.

Background: Studies have shown a decline in the admission rates of various diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a rare condition followed by surgical or transcatheter valvular interventions. Considering the lack of data on hospitalization rates due to PVT during the pandemic, this study evaluated the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on PVT admissions and characteristics in a tertiary referral center. Methods: Data from all the consecutive patients hospitalized due to PVT between February 2020 and February 2021 (the first year of the pandemic) were collected from medical records and compared clinically with the corresponding time before the pandemic (February 2019 through February 2020). Variables of interest included the number of hospitalization, patient and valve characteristics, diagnostic and management strategies, and in-hospital events. Results: Forty patients (32.5% male, age: 54.0 [46.5-62.0 y] comprised the study population. We observed a considerable decline in hospitalization rates during the pandemic, from 31 to 9 patients. Admitted patients were 8 years younger, had a higher proportion of the New York Heart Association functional class III or IV symptoms (44.4% vs 22.6%), were more often treated with fibrinolysis (33.3% vs 22.6%) or surgical approaches (33.3% vs 22.6%), and were discharged 6 days sooner. Conclusion: We described a reduction in PVT hospitalization. Patients presented with a higher proportion of severe dyspnea and had increased treatment with fibrinolysis/surgical approaches. These observations highlight the necessity of the active surveillance of patients with prosthetic valves by caregivers for timely diagnosis and appropriate management during the pandemic.

Association of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination or Infection With Bell Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Bell palsy (BP) has been reported as an adverse event following the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, but neither a causative relationship nor a higher prevalence than in the general population has been established. Objective: To compare the incidence of BP in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients vs unvaccinated individuals or placebo recipients. Data Sources: A systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from the inception of the COVID-19 report (December 2019) to August 15, 2022. Study Selection: Articles reporting BP incidence with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline and was conducted with the random- and fixed-effect models using the Mantel-Haenszel method. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcomes of interest were to compare BP incidence among (1) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients, (2) nonrecipients in the placebo or unvaccinated cohorts, (3) different types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and (4) SARS-CoV-2-infected vs SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated individuals. Results: Fifty studies were included, of which 17 entered the quantitative synthesis. Pooling 4 phase 3 randomized clinical trials showed significantly higher BP in recipients of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (77 525 vaccine recipients vs 66 682 placebo recipients; odds ratio [OR], 3.00; 95% CI, 1.10-8.18; I2 = 0%). There was, however, no significant increase in BP after administration of the messenger RNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in pooling 8 observational studies (13 518 026 doses vs 13 510 701 unvaccinated; OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.42-1.16; I2 = 94%). No significant difference was found in BP among 22 978 880 first-dose recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine compared with 22 978 880 first-dose recipients of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.82-1.15; I2 = 0%). Bell palsy was significantly more common after SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 2 822 072) than after SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations (n = 37 912 410) (relative risk, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.57-6.62; I2 = 95%). Conclusions and Relevance: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests a higher incidence of BP among SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated vs placebo groups. The occurrence of BP did not differ significantly between recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech vs Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 infection posed a significantly greater risk for BP than SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Five-Year Survival and Complications of Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR): A Single Tertiary Center Registry for All-Comers Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Studies on the mid and long-term outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of TEVAR for all-comers patients with various types of thoracic aortic pathologies, predominantly thoracic aortic dissections and thoracic aortic aneurysms. METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2015, 123 consecutive patients with thoracic aortic pathologies underwent TEVAR. The patients were divided into groups based on aortic pathologies (dissections or aneurysms) and the type of procedure (hybrid TEVAR or non-hybrid TEVAR). Mortality, complications, and reintervention rates were compared between these four groups. The Kaplan-Meier curve and the Cox regression analysis were employed to estimate survivals and factors associated with 5-year mortality. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-three consecutive patients with various aortic pathologies undergoing TEVAR were evaluated. Hypertension (79.7 %) and smoking (39 %) were the most common comorbidities in the study population. The patients were followed up for a mean duration of 58.1 ± 7.1 months to evaluate the postprocedural surveillance. Most complications occurred in the dissection and hybrid groups; however, these differences were nonsignificant. The overall 5-year surveillance and reintervention rates were 65 % and 12.1 %, respectively. A significant difference existed in 5-year survival between the patients with aneurysmal and aortic dissection pathologies based on the log-rank test (P = 0.01). On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in 5-year survival between the patients who underwent hybrid and non-hybrid TEVAR. The Cox regression analysis confirmed that chronic kidney disease, previous coronary artery bypass grafting, age >65 years, platelet counts <150∗ 103/µL, aneurysmal aortic pathology, and ejection fraction ≤ 50 % were predictors of 5-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcomes of TEVAR for various aortic pathologies disclosed that this procedure was well-tolerated in a group of patients with high comorbid conditions. The five-year survival rate of TEVAR for thoracic aortic dissections was more favorable than that for thoracic aortic aneurysms, but there were no significant differences between hybrid and non-hybrid procedures regarding the mortality rate.

Fulminant psudeumonas pneumonia following coronary artery bypass grafting - Case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Pneumonia has always been a source of complication after surgeries. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has emerged as one of the most problematic Gram-negative pathogens among nosocomial infections. Pneumonia caused by pseudomonas is usually slowly progressive allowing clinicians to detect and manage it on time. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old man was hospitalized for elective CABG, complicated by fulminant pneumonia. Vancomycin and meropenem were adminestered as soon as the symptoms appeared. However, the patient died from septic shock syndrome caused by pseudomonas pneumonia on the third postoperative day, just hours after the first symptom appeared. The chest X-ray showed an extreme opacity within less than 12 h. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: This case is reported because of its rare clinical presentation of Fulminant pseudomonas pneumonia following cardiac surgery. CONCLUSION: Consider pseudomonas aeruginosa as a certain cause of pneumonia after cardiac surgery, and an organized, modified guideline is needed to determine the best option and timeline for treating this complication.

The Effect of Easily Implementable Changes to the "D's of Stroke Care" in Reducing Sex Disparity in Door-to-Needle Time.

BACKGROUND: Door-to-needle (DTN) is the duration between patient's arrival at the hospital and receiving intravenous thrombolysis in ischemic stroke settings, for which studies have reported delays in women. The "D's of stroke care" describes 8 steps (D1 to D8) in patients' time tracker. We implemented simple modifications to the "D's of stroke care" by splitting D4 and D6 steps into these substeps: patients' arrival to the emergency room (D4-A), early assessment by a neurologist (D4-B), neurologist decision on patient's eligibility to receive recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (D6-A), and patient's transfer to the stroke unit (D6-B). We evaluated the effect of these changes on reducing DTN time disparity between men and women. METHODS: This study was conducted from September 2019 to August 2021, at a comprehensive stroke center. Patients were analyzed in 2 groups: group 1, before, and group 2, after using the modifications. Sex as the main variable of interest along with other covariates was regressed toward the DTN time. RESULTS: In groups 1 and 2, 47 and 56 patients received intravenous thrombolysis, respectively. Although there was a significant difference in DTN≤1 hour between women and men in group 1 (36% vs. 52%, P =0.019), it was not significantly different in group 2 ( P =0.97). Regression analysis showed being female was a significant predictor of DTN>1 hour in group 1 (adjusted odds ratio=6.65, P =0.02), whereas after using the modifications, sex was not a significant predictor for delayed DTN. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing these substeps reduced sex disparity in DTN time in our center.

In-hospital and 1-year outcomes of patients without modifiable risk factors presenting with acute coronary syndrome undergoing PCI: a Sex-stratified analysis.

Aim: A considerable proportion of patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have no standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cigarette smoking). The outcomes of this population following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are debated. Further, sex differences within this population have yet to be established. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 7,847 patients with ACS who underwent PCI. The study outcomes were in-hospital mortality, all-cause mortality, and major adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The association between the absence of SMuRFs (SMuRF-less status) and outcomes among all the patients and each sex was assessed using logistic and Cox proportional hazard regressions. Results: Approximately 11% of the study population had none of the SMuRFs. During 12.13 [11.99-12.36] months of follow-up, in-hospital mortality (adjusted-odds ratio (OR):1.51, 95%confidence interval (CI): 0.91-2.65, P:0.108), all-cause mortality [adjusted-hazard ratio (HR): 1.01, 95%CI: 0.88-1.46, P: 0.731], and MACCE (adjusted-HR: 0.93, 95%CI:0.81-1.12, P: 0.412) did not differ between patients with and without SMuRFs. Sex-stratified analyses recapitulated similar outcomes between SMuRF+ and SMuRF-less men. In contrast, SMuRF-less women had significantly higher in-hospital (adjusted-OR: 3.28, 95%CI: 1.92-6.21, P < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (adjusted-HR:1.41, 95%CI: 1.02-3.21, P: 0.008) than SMuRF+ women. Conclusions: Almost one in 10 patients with ACS who underwent PCI had no SMuRFs. The absence of SMuRFs did not confer any benefit in terms of in-hospital mortality, one-year mortality, and MACCE. Even worse, SMuRF-less women paradoxically had an excessive risk of in-hospital and one-year mortality.

The relationship between cardiological parameters and PCR in patients with coronavirus infection: A cross-sectional study.

Cardiovascular injuries induced by SARS CoV-2 have been reported repeatedly in various studies. Therefore, it is necessary to understand cardiac complications at a low cost, quickly. This study aimed to determine the relationship between cardiological parameters and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with coronavirus infection. : Patients who were admitted to the emergency department due to the ongoing pandemic, all patients with similar symptoms to coronavirus disease 2019 infection were initially admitted to the respiratory emergency room and underwent subsequent evaluations to confirm or rule out SARS-COV2 infection symptoms were assessed for eligibility. Patient were categorized into 2 groups 1. Positive PCR and negative PCR groups. Binary logistic regression was performed to assess the effect of several factors on the likelihood of developing positive troponin, reduced ejection fraction (EF), and Positive brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Among 195 patients included, 115 (58.9%) had positive PCR. Patient in the positive PCR and negative PCR were 58.04 ±â€…18.03 and 59.19 ±â€…15.38 years of age, respectively. Patients in the "positive PCR" were significantly less likely to have chronic kidney disease (6.69% vs 17.5%, P value: .022), consume calcium channel blockers (6.69% vs 18.75%, P value:0.012). At the univariable level, positive PCR was significantly associated with fewer odds for positive BNP (OR:0.46, P = .019); nevertheless, the association was no longer significant after adjusting for confounders (adjusted OR:0.56, P = .158). Unadjusted positive PCR results were not found to have a significant association with positive troponin or reduced EF. Likewise, multivariable regression revealed no association between positive PCR and positive troponin (aOR:1.28, P = .529) and reduced EF (aOR:0.65, P = .369). PCR positivity did not result in positive troponin and BNP and did not appear to decrease EF. In other words, serial troponin and BNP checks and initial echocardiography in coronavirus disease 2019 respiratory emergencies do not make significant differences in diagnostic and therapeutic management and inpatient outcomes of patients with positive or negative PCR and are not specific findings. Evidence suggests some coronavirus-induced cardiac complications will be manifested in the long term.

BMI modifies HDL-C effects on coronary artery bypass grafting outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Despite the recognized implications of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in cardiovascular diseases, the role of body mass index (BMI) in HDL-C association with cardiovascular outcomes remains unclear. This study investigated the possible modifying implications of BMI on the correlation between HDL-C and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) outcomes. METHODS: The present cohort included isolated CABG patients (median follow-up: 76.58 [75.79-77.38] months). The participants were classified into three groups: 18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 (normal), 25 ≤ BMI < 30 (overweight), and 30 ≤ BMI < 35 (obese) kg/m2. Cox proportional hazard models (CPHs) and restricted cubic splines (RCSs) were applied to evaluate the relationship between HDL-C and all-cause mortality as well as major adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in different BMI categories. RESULTS: This study enrolled a total of 15,639 patients. Considering the final Cox analysis among the normal and overweight groups, HDL-C ≥ 60 was a significant protective factor compared to 40 < HDL-C < 60 for all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.47, P: 0.027; and aHR: 0.64, P: 0.007, respectively). However, the protective effect of HDL-C ≥ 60 was no longer observed among patients with 30 ≤ BMI < 35 (aHR: 1.16, P = 0.668). RCS trend analyses recapitulated these findings; among 30 ≤ BMI < 35, no uniform inverse linear association was observed; after approximately HDL-C≈55, its increase was no longer associated with reduced mortality risk. RCS analyses on MACCE revealed a plateau effect followed by a modest rise in overweight and obese patients from HDL-C = 40 onward (nonlinear association). CONCLUSIONS: Very high HDL-C (≥ 60 mg/dL) was not related to better outcomes among obese CABG patients. Furthermore, HDL-C was related to the post-CABG outcomes in a nonlinear manner, and the magnitude of its effects also differed across BMI subgroups.

Machine learning algorithms for predicting mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: As the era of big data analytics unfolds, machine learning (ML) might be a promising tool for predicting clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive ability of ML models for estimating mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Materials and methods: Various baseline and follow-up features were obtained from the CABG data registry, established in 2005 at Tehran Heart Center. After selecting key variables using the random forest method, prediction models were developed using: Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes (NB), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Random Forest (RF) algorithms. Area Under the Curve (AUC) and other indices were used to assess the performance. Results: A total of 16,850 patients with isolated CABG (mean age: 67.34 ± 9.67 years) were included. Among them, 16,620 had one-year follow-up, from which 468 died. Eleven features were chosen to train the models. Total ventilation hours and left ventricular ejection fraction were by far the most predictive factors of mortality. All the models had AUC > 0.7 (acceptable performance) for 1-year mortality. Nonetheless, LR (AUC = 0.811) and XGBoost (AUC = 0.792) outperformed NB (AUC = 0.783), RF (AUC = 0.783), SVM (AUC = 0.738), and KNN (AUC = 0.715). The trend was similar for two-to-five-year mortality, with LR demonstrating the highest predictive ability. Conclusion: Various ML models showed acceptable performance for estimating CABG mortality, with LR illustrating the highest prediction performance. These models can help clinicians make decisions according to the risk of mortality in patients undergoing CABG.

The association between different body mass index levels and midterm surgical revascularization outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting results regarding the relationship between overweight/obesity and the outcomes of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), termed "the obesity paradox". This study aimed to evaluate the effects of body mass index (BMI) on the midterm outcomes of CABG. METHODS: This historical cohort study included all patients who underwent isolated CABG at our center between 2007 and 2016. The patients were divided into five categories based on their preoperative BMIs (kg/m2): 18.5≤BMI<25, 25≤BMI<30, 30≤BMI<35, 35≤BMI<40, and BMI≥40. Patients with BMIs below 18.5 kg/m2 were excluded. The endpoints of this study were all-cause mortality and major adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), comprising acute coronary syndromes, cerebrovascular accidents, and all-cause mortality at five years. For the assessment of the linearity of the relationship between continuous BMI and the outcomes, plots for time varying hazard ratio of BMI with outcomes were provided. RESULTS: Of 17 751 patients (BMI = 27.30 ±4.17 kg/m2) who underwent isolated CABG at our center, 17 602 patients (mean age = 61.16±9.47 y, 75.4% male) were included in this study. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that patients with pre-obesity and normal weight had similar outcomes, whereas patients with preoperative BMIs exceeding 30 kg/m2 kg/m2 had a significantly higher risk of 5-year all-cause mortality and 5-year MACCEs than those with pre-obesity. Additionally, a positive association existed between obesity degree and all-cause mortality and MACCEs. Further, BMIs of 40 kg/m2 or higher showed a trend toward higher MACCE risks (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.89 to 1.95), possibly due to the small sample size. A nonlinear, albeit negligible, association was also found between continuous BMI and the study endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that preoperative obesity (BMI>30 kg/m2) in patients who survive early after CABG is associated with an increased risk of 5-year all-cause mortality and 5-year MACCEs. These findings indicate that physicians and cardiac surgeons should encourage patients with high BMIs to reduce weight for risk modification.