Impact of heart failure and preoperative platelet count on the postoperative short-term outcome in infective endocarditis patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) and platelet count are often considered risk factors for mortality in patients with infective endocarditis (IE); however, their effects on various complications have not been elucidated. HYPOTHESIS: We speculated that HF and platelet count have significant impact on the short-term outcomes of IE. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study analyzed data from 320 IE patients who underwent surgery. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the risk factors for adverse outcomes. The effect of the platelet count on the prognosis of patients with HF was determined by subgroup analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: The study population was divided into the HF group (n = 102) and the non-HF group (n = 218). The median age of the total population was 44.5 years (31-56 years), of which 227 (70.94%) patients were male. The incidence rates of 1-year all-cause mortality, cardiac outcomes, and composite outcomes were respectively almost sixfold, fourfold, and threefold higher in the HF group than in the non-HF group (all p < 0.001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, HF was an independent risk factor for 1-year all-cause mortality, cardiac outcomes, cerebral outcomes, and composite outcomes. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that the patients with both HF and thrombocytopenia demonstrated the worst composite outcomes than the patients of the other groups (log-rank p < 0.001). In the HF group, the platelet count was significantly associated with mortality and composite outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: HF and preoperative platelet count are significantly associated with 1-year all-cause mortality and adverse outcomes postoperatively in IE patients. Patients with HF and thrombocytopenia have the worst short-term prognosis.

Development and validation of a postoperative bleeding complications prediction model in infective endocarditis.

OBJECTIVES: Bleeding complications are one of the most serious postoperative complications after cardiac surgery and are associated with high mortality, especially in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Our objectives were to identify the risk factors and develop a prediction model for postoperative bleeding complications in IE patients. METHODS: The clinical data of IE patients treated from October 2013 to January 2022 were reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate independent risk factors for postoperative bleeding complications and develop a prediction model accordingly. The prediction model was verified in a temporal validation cohort. The performance of the model was evaluated in terms of its discrimination power, calibration, precision, and clinical utility. RESULTS: A total of 423 consecutive patients with IE who underwent surgery were included in the final analysis, including 315 and 108 patients in the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. Four variables were selected for developing a prediction model, including platelet counts, systolic blood pressure, heart failure and vegetations on the mitral and aortic valves. In the training cohort, the model exhibited excellent discrimination power (AUC = 0.883), calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.803), and precision (Brier score = 0.037). In addition, the model also demonstrated good discrimination power (AUC = 0.805), calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.413), and precision (Brier score = 0.067) in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a promising risk model with good discrimination power, calibration, and precision for predicting postoperative bleeding complications in IE patients.

Risk factors for mortality in surgical patients on combined continuous renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: single-center retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: In patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is increasingly being used for renal replacement and fluid management. However, critically ill surgical patients receiving combined ECMO and CRRT tend to have a high mortality rate, and there are limited studies on this population. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the risk factors for mortality in surgical patients receiving combined ECMO and CRRT. METHODS: Data of surgical patients who underwent ECMO between December 2013 and April 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the risk variables. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff value of albumin and age to predict death. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients on ECMO support were screened, of which 105 patients were included in the final analysis. Of 105 patients, 77 (73.33%) were treated with CRRT. Veno-arterial ECMO was performed in 97 cases (92.38%), and the rest were veno-venous ECMO (n = 8, 7.62%). Cardiovascular-related surgery was performed in the main patients (n = 86, 81.90%) and other types of surgery in 19 patients. In surgical patients on ECMO support, the logistic regression analysis showed that CRRT implantation, male sex, and age were the independent risks factors for mortality. Furthermore, the ROC curve analysis showed that age 48.5 years had the highest Youden index. In surgical patients on combined CRRT and ECMO, age, valvular heart disease, and albumin were the independent risk factors for prognosis. Albumin had the highest Youden index at a cutoff value of 39.95 g/L for predicting mortality, though the overall predictive value was modest (area under ROC 0.704). Age had the highest Youden index at a cutoff value of 48.5 years for predicting mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of surgical patients requiring ECMO, which consisted mostly of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery requiring VA-ECMO, the need for CRRT was an independent risk factor for mortality. In the subset of patients on combined CRRT and ECMO, independent risk factors for mortality included higher age, lack of valvular heart disease, and lower serum albumin.

Systolic blood pressure time in target range and long-term outcomes in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the degree of systolic blood pressure (SBP) control and outcomes remains unclear in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Current control metrics may not take into account the potential effects of SBP fluctuations over time on patients. METHODS: This study was a post-hoc analysis of the surgical treatment of ischemic heart failure trial which enrolled 2,136 participants with ICM. Our SBP target range was defined as 110 to 130 mm Hg and the time in target range (TTR) was calculated by linear interpolation. RESULTS: A total of 1,194 patients were included. Compared with the quartile 4 group (TTR 77.87%-100%), the adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of all-cause mortality were 1.32 (0.98-1.78) for quartile 3 group (TTR 54.81%-77.63%), 1.40 (1.03-1.90) for quartile 2 group (TTR 32.59%-54.67%), and 1.53 (1.14-2.04) for quartile 1 group (TTR 0%-32.56%). Per 29.28% (1-SD) decrement in TTR significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality (1.15 [1.04-1.26]). Similar results were observed in the cardiovascular (CV) mortality and the composite outcome of all-cause mortality plus CV rehospitalization, and in the subgroup analyses of either coronary artery bypass grafting or medical therapy, and different baseline SBP. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ICM, the higher TTR was significantly associated with decreased risk of all-cause mortality, CV mortality and the composite outcome of all-cause mortality plus CV rehospitalization, regardless of whether the patient received coronary artery bypass grafting or medical therapy, and the level of baseline SBP. TTR may be a surrogate metric of long-term SBP control in patients with ICM.

Reduced Angiopoietin Factor 2 Levels Are Correlated with Better Cardiac Function and Prognosis in Valvular Heart Disease

ABSTRACT Introduction: There are few circulating biomarkers for valvular heart disease. Angiopoietin (Ang) 1, Ang2, and vascular endothelial growth factor are important inflammation-associated cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance and association of Ang1, Ang2, and vascular endothelial growth factor in valvular heart disease. Methods: This is a retrospective study; a total of 62 individuals (valvular heart disease patients [n=42] and healthy controls [n=20]) were included. Plasma levels of Ang1, Ang2, and vascular endothelial growth factor were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We retrospectively collected the baseline characteristics and short-term outcomes; logistic regression was performed to identify predictor for short-term mortality. Results: Ang2 was significantly decreased in the valvular heart disease group compared with the healthy control group (P=0.023), while no significant difference was observed in the Ang1 and vascular endothelial growth factor levels. The Ang2 level of New York Heart Association (NYHA) I/II patients — but not NYHA III/IV patients — was significantly decreased compared with that of healthy control individuals (NYHA I/II: P=0.017; NYHA III/IV: P=0.485). Univariable logistic regression analysis indicated that Ang2 was a significant independent predictor for short-term mortality (odds ratio 18.75, P=0.033, 95% confidence interval 8.08-102.33). Ang1 was negatively correlated with Ang2 (P=0.032, Pearson's correlation coefficient =-0.317) and was positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (P=0.019, Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.359). Conclusion: Ang2 might serve as a therapeutic and prognostic target for valvular heart disease.

Reduced Angiopoietin Factor 2 Levels Are Correlated with Better Cardiac Function and Prognosis in Valvular Heart Disease.

INTRODUCTION: There are few circulating biomarkers for valvular heart disease. Angiopoietin (Ang) 1, Ang2, and vascular endothelial growth factor are important inflammation-associated cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance and association of Ang1, Ang2, and vascular endothelial growth factor in valvular heart disease. METHODS: This is a retrospective study; a total of 62 individuals (valvular heart disease patients [n=42] and healthy controls [n=20]) were included. Plasma levels of Ang1, Ang2, and vascular endothelial growth factor were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We retrospectively collected the baseline characteristics and short-term outcomes; logistic regression was performed to identify predictor for short-term mortality. RESULTS: Ang2 was significantly decreased in the valvular heart disease group compared with the healthy control group (P=0.023), while no significant difference was observed in the Ang1 and vascular endothelial growth factor levels. The Ang2 level of New York Heart Association (NYHA) I/II patients - but not NYHA III/IV patients - was significantly decreased compared with that of healthy control individuals (NYHA I/II: P=0.017; NYHA III/IV: P=0.485). Univariable logistic regression analysis indicated that Ang2 was a significant independent predictor for short-term mortality (odds ratio 18.75, P=0.033, 95% confidence interval 8.08-102.33). Ang1 was negatively correlated with Ang2 (P=0.032, Pearson's correlation coefficient =-0.317) and was positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (P=0.019, Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.359). CONCLUSION: Ang2 might serve as a therapeutic and prognostic target for valvular heart disease.

Surgical explantation of quaternate transcatheter aortic valve replacement bioprostheses: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a growing less invasive surrogate for high-risk patients with aortic valve disease. Although the number of TAVR procedures is growing rapidly, TAVR prosthesis surgical explantation are rare procedures but increasing in frequency. CASE PRESENTATION: We herein presented a case of 68-year-old male who underwent quaternate TAVR bioprostheses implantation. Three months later, his symptoms deteriorated due to aggravated paravalvular leakage and severe mitral regurgitation. A challenging surgical explantation procedure was therefore performed. During the surgery, lethal penetrations of aortic wall due to migration of these devices were found and four bioprostheses were integrally explanted. The native calcified aortic leaflet was removed and replaced with a 23 mm. The impaired segment of ascending aorta was replaced with a Dacron graft afterwards. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we presented a surgical case of explantation of four TAVR Bioprostheses, which is so far the maximum number of surgical-explant devices ever reported. This extreme individual case aggregates our technical experiences with this unique category of patients and raise the concern of the best initial valve strategy for relatively younger patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure for smoking cessation: A study protocol of a multicentre, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Background: Nicotine dependence is an addictive behavioral disease facilitated by habitually smoking cigarettes. In many countries, acupuncture and auricular acupressure have attracted growing attention as complementary or alternative treatments for smoking cessation; however, there is a lack of rigorous randomized, controlled studies evaluating the combination of these two interventions specifically for smoking cessation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using acupuncture combined with auricular acupressure (A&AA) to increase the rates of smoking cessation and ultimately reduce the rates of relapse. Methods: This is a multicentre, prospective, parallel, randomized, controlled trial. A total of 360 patients with severe nicotine dependence will be randomized into test (A&AA) or control (nicotine replacement therapy, NRT) groups. The test group will be treated with A&AA twice weekly, while the control group will use an NRT patch daily. All treatments will be administered for 8 weeks, with a follow-up period of 4 months. The primary outcome will be the smoking abstinence rate at week 24, with a combined safety assessment. The secondary outcomes will be smoking cessation rates at other timepoints, saliva cortisone test results, and scores on the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, the Autonomy over Tobacco Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The cost of treatment will also be used to evaluate the economic effects of different smoking cessation interventions. Statistical analysis on the data collected from both the intention-to-treat (all randomly assigned patients) and per-protocol (patients who complete the trial without any protocol deviations) patients, will be performed using the statistical software package, IBM SPSS 27.0. Discussion: This study will provide rigorous clinical evidence evaluating the efficacy and safety of using A&AA as a smoking cessation therapy. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR1900028371).

Clinical Application of Restrictive Brace Combined with Psychological Intervention after Replantation of Severed Fingers in Children.

Objective: After replantation of severed fingers in infants, the utility model patent upper limb restrictive brace-assisted bed rest braking, combined with psychological intervention, can alleviate children's anxiety, so as to reduce the occurrence of vascular crisis. Methods: The study period was from April 2015 to July 2018. In this paper, 30 children with finger injuries in hand surgery in the CIS electronic medical record system of Cangzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital were selected as the research objects. Replantation was performed in 30 infants with severed fingers. Among them, 15 cases were applied with the method of aircraft chest arm gypsum splint combined with sedative drug braking and the utility model patented product upper limb restrictive brace fixation-assisted bed rest braking, and the method of psychological intervention was applied at the same time. Results: Among the 15 fingers in the control group, 6 had vascular crisis and 1 in the experimental group. The incidence of vascular crisis in the experimental group was lower, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The patients were followed up for 9~18 months, with an average of 9.72 ± 1.07 months. In the control group, 15 cases of severed fingers survived, and there were 13 cases of replantation finger necrosis in 2 cases of intractable arterial crisis. In the experimental group, 14 cases of severed fingers survived in 15 cases and there was 1 case of replanted finger necrosis in intractable arterial crisis after operation. There was no significant difference in the survival rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). In addition, the replanted finger function was evaluated. In the control group, 9 cases were excellent, 4 cases were good, and 1 case was fair. In the experimental group, 14 cases were excellent, 1 case was good, and 0 case was fair. The functional evaluation of the experimental group was better than that of the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: For infants after replantation of severed fingers, the application of the utility model patented product upper limb restrictive brace can effectively make up for the insufficient fixation of aircraft chest arm gypsum splint, reduce the occurrence of vascular crisis, and assist children in bed. In addition, the application of psychological intervention can reduce children's postoperative crying and is conducive to children's postoperative recovery.

Notopterol Attenuates Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Rat.

Introduction: Current targeted pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapies have improved lung hemodynamics, cardiac function, and quality of life; however, none of these have reversed the ongoing remodeling of blood vessels. Considering notopterol, a linear furocoumarin extracted from the root of traditional Chinese medicine Qiang-Huo (Notopterygium incisum), had shown the antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties in previous studies, we hypothesized that it could play a role in ameliorating PAH. Methods: In vivo, we conducted monocrotaline (MCT) induced PAH rats and treated them with notopterol for 3 weeks. Then, the rats were examined by echocardiography and RV catheterization. The heart and lung specimens were harvested for the detection of gross examination, histological examination and expression of inflammatory molecules. In vitro, human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) were treated with notopterol after hypoxia; then, cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 and Edu assay, and cell migration was detected by wound healing assays. Results: We found that notopterol improved mortality rate and RV function while reducing right ventricular systolic pressure in MCT-induced PAH rats. Furthermore, notopterol reduced right ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis, and it also eased pulmonary vascular remodeling and MCT-induced muscularization. In addition, notopterol attenuated the pro-inflammatory factor (IL-1ß, IL-6) and PCNA in the lungs of PAH rats. For the cultured HPASMCs subjected to hypoxia, we found that notopterol can inhibit the proliferation and migration of HPASMCs. Conclusion: Our studies show that notopterol exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects in the pulmonary arteries, which may contribute to prevention of PAH.

Disheveled binding antagonist of ß-catenin 1 interacted with ß-catenin and connexin 43 in human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes.

Previously, we demonstrated that the disheveled binding antagonist of ß-catenin 1 (DACT1) was involved in atrial fibrillation by regulating the reorganization of connexin 43 and ß-catenin in cardiomyocytes. Little is known, however, about DACT1 in human normal myocardial cells. Therefore, we used cardiomyocytes (CMs) derived from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to investigate the role of DACT1 and its connection with ß-catenin and connexin 43. While the ESC-CMs and iPSC-CMs were differentiated using commercial differentiation kits, the cardiac-specific markers were detected by immunofluorescence. The expression level of DACT1 was detected using western blotting, whereas the interaction of DACT1 and connexin 43 or ß-catenin was detected by immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays. Both H1-CMs and SF-CMs were immunostained for cardiac-specific markers, including Troponin I, Troponin T, α-actinin, NKX2.5, and GATA6. While DACT1 was not expressed in both H1 ESCs and SF-iPSCs, it was, however, highly expressed in differentiated CMs, being also localized in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of differentiated CMs. Interestingly, the DACT1 expression in different nuclei was different in the same multinucleated cell. Moreover, DACT1 colocalized with ß-catenin in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of differentiated CMs, and it also colocalized with connexin 43 in the perinuclear region and the gap junctions of differentiated CMs. Co-IP results showed that DACT1 could directly bind to ß-catenin and connexin 43. Taken together, DACT1 interacted with ß-catenin and connexin 43 in human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes.

Deconstructive Cycloaromatization Strategy toward N,O-Bidentate Ligands from Indolizines and Cyclopropenones.

The innovative construction of novel N,O-bidentate ligands represents a long-standing challenge for chemists. Here, we report an unprecedented approach for the construction of N,O-bidentate derivatives via the merging of ring deconstruction with cycloaromatization of indolizines and cyclopropenones. Without any catalysts, our method can deliver a series of polyaryl 2-(pyridin-2-yl)phenols in excellent yields. In addition, N,O-bidentate organic BF2 complexes can also be constructed via this one-pot protocol.

Ulnar Groove Plasty Guided by a 3D Printing Technique for Moderate to Severe Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Caused by Elbow Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of ulnar groove plasty guided by a three-dimensional (3D) printing technique for treatment of moderate to severe cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) caused by elbow osteoarthritis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with moderate to severe CuTS secondary to osteoarthritis of the elbow were enrolled in our hospital from April 2015 to March 2018. Based on a previously proposed "elbow canal index", a 1: 1 model of the elbow joint was printed using CT image data collected preoperatively. After computer-aided measurement, the standard for enlargement of the ulnar nerve groove was calculated and a personalized "trial model" was created by 3D reconstruction. After intraoperative exposure of the ulnar nerve sulcus, the proliferative osteoid was burred with a grinding drill, and the cubital enlargement was verified by the trial model. The ulnar nerve was decompressed and reincorporated into the enlarged cubital canal, and the Osborne ligament was zig-zag elongated and reconstructed. RESULTS None of the patients reported experiencing medial elbow instability, medial elbow pain, ulnar nerve subluxation, flexor-pronator weakness, or incision infection. There was significant improvement of the motor nerve conduction velocity, sensory nerve conduction velocity, two-point discrimination of the little finger, grip strength, pinch strength of the thumb and index finger, VAS score, and DASH score in this study (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Ulnar groove plasty guided by a 3D printing technique may be another effective treatment of moderate to severe CuTS caused by elbow osteoarthritis.

Randomized evidence on graft patency after off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: An updated meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The debate between off-pump CABG (OPCAB) and on-pump CABG (ONCAB) has been ongoing for decades. We aimed to provide a comprehensive update of the current randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in evaluating the graft patency of OPCAB versus ONCAB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases until April 30, 2021. All RCTs from 2003 to 2020 comparing the results of graft patency between OPCAB and ONCAB were included. We compared the overall graft occlusion between the two groups, and subgroup analyses were conducted based on different types of conduits and target territories, crossover from off-pump to on-pump rate, and the length of follow-up. RESULTS: Sixteen RCTs were identified, with 5743 grafts in the OPCAB group and 5898 in the ONCAB group. OPCAB was associated with a higher risk of occlusion in the overall graft (RR: 1.31; 95% CI, 1.17-1.46), saphenous vein graft (SVG) (RR: 1.40; 95% CI, 1.23-1.59), grafts to left anterior descending (LAD) territory (RR: 1.52; 95% CI, 1.11-2.08) and left circumflex artery (LCX) territory (RR: 1.45; 95% CI, 1.19-1.76), while no significant difference was observed between the two groups in respect of arterial conduits and grafts to right coronary artery (RCA) territory. Furthermore, the lower crossover rate and longer length of follow-up appeared to reduce the association between OPCAB and lower graft patency. CONCLUSIONS: The current meta-analysis indicates that, compared with ONCAB, graft patency is poorer with OPCAB for overall grafts, SVG grafts, grafts to LAD and LCX territories, whereas the results remain comparable for arterial conduits and grafts to RCA territory.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin: A Potential Predictor of Embolic Events in Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: As the complication of infective endocarditis (IE), embolic events are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. However, there are no reliable indicators to predict embolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a biomarker to identify IE patients at high risk of embolism. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of IE patients from January 2018 to December 2020. Plasma NGAL levels were measured in 88 IE patients (37 patients with embolic events and 51 patients without embolic events), 91 noninfectious heart valve disease patients, and 20 healthy blood donors by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Native valve tissue was obtained from 16 IE patients and 16 noninfectious heart valve disease patients. Western blot and immunohistochemical staining were performed to detect NGAL and matrix metalloproteinase-9. RESULTS: Higher levels of NGAL were observed in IE patients than in noninfectious heart valve disease patients (P < .001) or healthy blood donors (P < .01). In addition, NGAL levels were higher in IE patients with embolic events compared with patients not having embolic events (P < .001). Receiver-operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that NGAL acted as a potential embolic events predictor with the cutoff value of 166.78 ng/mL. The IE patients with higher NGAL levels had significantly more severe native valve morphologic changes. The NGAL was colocalized with matrix metalloproteinase-9, and their expression in the valves of IE patients was higher than in those of noninfectious heart valve disease patients. CONCLUSIONS: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is a potential predictor of embolic events in IE. That may be attributed to its potency of increasing the proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9, which leads to valve morphologic impairment.

Preoperative serum albumin: a promising indicator of early mortality after surgery for infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Despite novel improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of infective endocarditis (IE), there has been no significant improvement in the survival rate of IE, which indicates that many details still need to be optimized in the preoperative assessment. We sought to evaluate preoperative serum albumin as a biomarker for predicting early mortality after IE surgery. METHODS: Between October 2013 and June 2019, patients with a definite diagnosis of IE were enrolled in this study. Patients' albumin levels at admission were used as the preoperative albumin levels. Restricted cubic spline and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between albumin and early mortality. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to assess the role of albumin in predicting early mortality and compare the predictive capacity of traditional models with models that included albumin. RESULTS: Of the 276 IE patients, 20 (7.2%) died in hospital or within 30 days of surgery. Hypoalbuminemia (an albumin level <3.5 g/dL) was present in 109 (39.5%) patients. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative albumin was inversely associated with early mortality [adjusted odds ratio (OR) =0.22 per 1 g/dL, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.07-0.65, P=0.006] after full adjustment. Preoperative albumin had value in predicting early mortality [area under the curve (AUC) =0.72, 95% CI: 0.61-0.84; P<0.01]. After adding albumin to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) and Charlson score, the predictive ability of the model was further improved (EuroSCORE II: AUC =0.55; 95% CI: 0.42-0.67 to AUC =0.72; 95% CI: 0.61-0.84; Charlson score: AUC =0.73; 95% CI: 0.64-0.83 to AUC =0.78; 95% CI: 0.68-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum albumin is inversely associated with early mortality after IE surgery, and is a promising prognostic indicator in preoperative risk stratification assessments of IE patients.

Mitral Valve Surgery in Patients With Rheumatic Heart Disease: Repair vs. Replacement.

Background: High morbidity and mortality caused by rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are global burdens, especially in low-income and developing countries. Whether mitral valve repair (MVP) benefits RHD patients remains controversial. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis to compare the perioperative and long-term outcomes of MVP and mitral valve replacement (MVR) in RHD patients. Methods and Results: A systematic literature search was conducted in major databases, including Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library, until 17 December 2020. Studies comparing MVP and MVR in RHD patients were retained. Outcomes included early mortality, long-term survival, freedom from reoperation, postoperative infective endocarditis, thromboembolic events, hemorrhagic events, and freedom from valve-related adverse events. Eleven studies that met the inclusion criteria were included. Of a total of 5,654 patients, 1,951 underwent MVP, and 3,703 underwent MVR. Patients who undergo MVP can benefit from a higher long-term survival rate (HR 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.95; P = 0.020; I 2 = 44%), a lower risk of early mortality (RR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.38-1.01; P = 0.060; I 2 = 42%), and the composite outcomes of valve-related adverse events (HR 0.60; 95% CI, 0.38-0.94; P = 0.030; I 2 = 25%). However, a higher risk of reoperation was observed in the MVP group (HR 2.60; 95% CI, 1.89-3.57; P<0.001; I 2 = 4%). Patients who underwent concomitant aortic valve replacement (AVR) in the two groups had comparable long-term survival rates, although the trend still favored MVP. Conclusions: For RHD patients, MVP can reduce early mortality, and improve long-term survival and freedom from valve-related adverse events. However, MVP was associated with a higher risk of reoperation. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=228307.

Melatonin ameliorates myocardial injury by reducing apoptosis and autophagy of cardiomyocytes in a rat cardiopulmonary bypass model.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial injury is a frequent complication after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that melatonin could attenuate myocardial injury in a rat CPB model. METHODS: Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, n = 6 for each group: the sham operation (SO) group, CPB group and melatonin group. Rats in the SO group underwent cannulation without CPB, rats in CPB group intraperitoneal injected an equal volume of vehicle daily for 7 days before being subjected to CPB and rats in melatonin group intraperitoneal injected 20 mg/kg of melatonin solution daily for 7 days before being subjected to CPB. After 120 min for CPB, the expression levels of plasma interleukin (IL) -6, IL-1ß, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA), creatine kinase (CK) -MB and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were measured. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by dihydroethidium (DHE). Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Mitochondrial damage and autophagosomes were detected by electron microscopy. Apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of B cell lymphoma/leukemia2 associated X (Bax), B cell lymphoma/leukemia 2 (Bcl-2), cytochrome C (Cyto-C), cleaved caspase-9, AKT, p-AKT, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), p-STAT3, LC3, P62, mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR), p-mTOR and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were determined using western blotting. RESULTS: Melatonin significantly decreased the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, MDA, CK-MB and cTnT and increased the levels of SOD and GSH-Px, all of which were altered by CPB. Melatonin reduced cardiomyocyte superoxide production, the apoptosis index and autophagy in cardiomyocytes induced by CPB. The AKT, STAT3 and mTOR signaling pathways were activated by melatonin during CPB. CONCLUSION: Melatonin may serve as a cardioprotective factor in CPB by inhibiting oxidative damage, apoptosis and autophagy. The AKT, STAT3 and mTOR signaling pathways were involved in this process.