RESUMEN
Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients are at higher risk of postoperative complications. We analyzed the association of PH with 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Methods: A single-center propensity score overlap weighting (OW) retrospective cohort study was conducted on 164 patients with a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) of >20 mmHg within 24 months of undergoing elective inpatient abdominal surgery or endoscopic procedures under general anesthesia and a control cohort (N = 1981). The primary outcome was PPCs, and the secondary outcomes were PPC sub-composites, namely respiratory failure (RF), pneumonia (PNA), aspiration pneumonia/pneumonitis (ASP), pulmonary embolism (PE), length of stay (LOS), and 30-day mortality. Results: PPCs were higher in the PH cohort (29.9% vs. 11.2%, p < 0.001). When sub-composites were analyzed, higher rates of RF (19.3% vs. 6.6%, p < 0.001) and PNA (11.2% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.01) were observed. After OW, PH was still associated with greater PPCs (RR 1.66, 95% CI (1.05-2.71), p = 0.036) and increased LOS (median 8.0 days vs. 4.9 days) but not 30-day mortality. Sub-cohort analysis showed no difference in PPCs between pre- and post-capillary PH patients. Conclusions: After covariate balancing, PH was associated with a higher risk for PPCs and prolonged LOS. This elevated PPC risk should be considered during preoperative risk assessment.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease associated with arterial and venous thromboembolism and pregnancy complications. There have been several reports of APS with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with aortic dissection. However, none of them has been primary APS, which is APS without SLE. CASE REPORT A 42-year-old woman with primary APS and APS nephropathy on warfarin and aspirin therapy presented with coma due to cerebellar hemorrhage. The effect of warfarin was immediately reversed with prothrombin complex concentrate. We performed emergent evacuation of the hematoma, and her level of consciousness improved to normal on postoperative day (POD) 1. She had acute hypertension on arrival, which was resistant to multiple antihypertensives and was stabilized on POD 3. She also had exacerbation of chronic kidney disease after using contrast and prothrombin concentrate complex, and was on temporary renal replacement therapy from POD 3. Aortic dissection was found accidentally on echocardiography on POD 7, and she was subsequently treated medically. She was transferred to the rehabilitation hospital with mild dysarthria and truncal ataxia on POD 59. CONCLUSIONS We report the first case in the English literature of primary APS complicated with cerebellar hemorrhage and aortic dissection. Acute hypertension following hemorrhage and exacerbation of APS nephropathy likely triggered the dissection of the aortic wall, the integrity of which might have been compromised by longstanding antiphospholipid antibody and vasa vasorum thrombosis.
