Left Ventricular Scar and Prognosis in Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) have pronounced myocardial fibrosis, which may predispose to sudden cardiac death, despite well-preserved global left ventricular (LV) systolic function. Cardiac magnetic resonance can assess myocardial fibrosis by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequences. OBJECTIVES: This prospective study evaluated if the presence of scar by LGE predicted hard adverse outcomes in a cohort of patients with CCC. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 140 patients with CCC (52.1% female; median age 57 years [interquartile range: 45 to 67 years]) were included. Cardiac magnetic resonance cine and LGE imaging were performed at enrollment with a 1.5-T scanner. The primary endpoint was the combination of cardiovascular death and sustained ventricular tachycardia. The secondary endpoint was the combination of cardiovascular death, sustained ventricular tachycardia, or cardiovascular hospitalization during follow-up. RESULTS: After a median of 34 months (interquartile range: 24 to 49 months) of follow-up, 11 cardiovascular deaths, 3 episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia, and 20 cardiovascular hospitalizations were recorded. LGE scar was present in 71.4% of the patients, with the lateral, inferolateral, and inferior walls most commonly affected. Patients with positive LGE had lower LV ejection fraction and higher LV end-diastolic volume and LV mass than patients without LGE. No difference in other cardiovascular risk factors was noted. Patients with scar had higher event rates compared with those without scar for the primary (p = 0.043) and the secondary (p = 0.016) endpoint. In multivariable analysis, age and LGE area were related to primary outcome; age and lower LV ejection fraction were related to the secondary outcome. The pattern of LGE myocardial fibrosis was transmural, focal, or diffuse scar in approximately one-third of patients with positive LGE, and no pattern was specifically related to outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CCC, presence of scar by LGE is common and is strongly associated with major adverse outcomes.

Tibial Fracture Nonunion and Time to Healing After Reamed Intramedullary Nailing: Risk Factors Based on a Single-Center Review of 1003 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with nonunion of adult tibial fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective review with data collection for logistic regression and survival analysis. SETTING: Scottish Level I trauma center, 1985-2007. PATIENTS: During this period, 1590 adult tibial fractures were treated by reamed nailing and 1003 fractures met all inclusion criteria for the chosen analysis. INTERVENTION: Reamed intramedullary nailing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Record of nonunion diagnosis and final union time with characteristics, including age, gender, closed or open injury, OTA/AO classification, Gustilo classification, fasciotomy, infection, polytrauma, smoking, and injury severity score. RESULTS: The overall nonunion rate was 12%, and median time to healing was 18 weeks. Age significantly influenced nonunion, with middle-aged patients at highest risk. Both fracture type (closed/open) and morphology (OTA/AO classification) significantly influenced nonunion risk and time to union. Among closed injuries, the highest nonunion rate was for OTA/AO type B fractures (15%). Among open injuries, the highest nonunion rate was for OTA/AO type C (61%). Both compartment syndrome and smoking did not significantly influence nonunion risk but did significantly extend time to union. CONCLUSIONS: Injury characteristics including fracture morphology and severity of soft tissue injury were strong predictors of compromised fracture healing. Age also influenced nonunion risk in an unexpected way, with highest rates in the middle decades of adulthood. Future studies should consider the possibility of similar age-related effects and clinical studies should seek to identify explanations for why this may arise, including both physiological and socio-behavioral factors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.