Chronic venous insufficiency, cardiovascular disease, and mortality: a population study.

AIMS: Evidence regarding the health burden of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), its clinical determinants, and impact on outcome is scarce. METHODS AND RESULTS: Systematic phenotyping of CVI according to established CEAP (Clinical-Etiologic-Anatomic-Pathophysiologic) classification was performed in 12 423 participants (age range: 40-80 years) of the Gutenberg Health Study from April 2012 to April 2017. Prevalence was calculated age- and sex-specifically. Multivariable Poisson regression models were calculated to evaluate the relation of CVI with cardiovascular comorbidities. Survival analyses were carried out to assess the CVI-associated risk of death. Replication of findings was done in an independent cohort study (MyoVasc, NCT04064450). The prevalence of telangiectasia/reticular, varicose veins, and CVI was 36.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 35.6-37.4%], 13.3% [12.6-13.9%], and 40.8% [39.9-41.7%], respectively. Age, female sex, arterial hypertension, obesity, smoking, and clinically overt cardiovascular disease were identified as clinical determinants of CVI. Higher CEAP classes were associated with a higher predicted 10-year risk for incident cardiovascular disease in individuals free of cardiovascular disease (n = 9923). During a mean follow-up of 6.4 ± 1.6 years, CVI was a strong predictor of all-cause death independent of the concomitant clinical profile and medication [hazard ratio (HR) 1.46 (95% CI 1.19-1.79), P = 0. 0003]. The association of CVI with an increased risk of all-cause death was externally validated in the MyoVasc cohort [HR 1.51 (95% CI 1.11-2.05), P = 0.009]. CONCLUSION: Chronic venous insufficiency is highly prevalent in the population and is associated with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and disease. Individuals with CVI experience an elevated risk of death, which is independent of age and sex, and present cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities.

Injection Site Matters: A Comparative Analysis of Transpulmonary Thermodilution via Simultaneous Femoral and Jugular Indicator Injections under Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Therapy.

Background: The use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) in acute lung failure has witnessed a notable increase. The PiCCO system is frequently used for advanced hemodynamic monitoring in this cohort. Our study aimed to investigate whether the choice of indicator injection site (jugular vs. femoral) in patients undergoing vv-ECMO therapy affects transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) measurements using the PiCCO® device (Pulsion Medical Systems SE, Munich, Germany). Methods: In a retrospective single-center analysis, we compared thermodilution-derived hemodynamic parameters after simultaneous jugular and femoral injections in 28 measurements obtained in two patients with respiratory failure who were undergoing vv-ECMO therapy. Results: Elevated values of the extravascular lung water index (EVLWI), intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVI) and global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI) were observed following femoral indicator injection compared to jugular indicator injection (EVLWI: 29.3 ± 10.9 mL/kg vs. 18.3 ± 6.71 mL/kg, p = 0.0003; ITBVI: 2163 ± 631 mL/m2 vs. 806 ± 125 mL/m2, p < 0.0001; GEDVI: 1731 ± 505 mL/m2 vs. 687 ± 141 mL/m2, p < 0.0001). The discrepancy between femoral and jugular measurements exhibited a linear correlation with extracorporeal blood flow (ECBF). Conclusions: In a PiCCO®-derived hemodynamic assessment of patients on vv-ECMO, the femoral indicator injection, as opposed to the jugular injection, resulted in an overestimation of all index parameters. This discrepancy can be attributed to mean transit time (MTt) and downslope time-dependent (DSt) variations in GEDVI and cardiac function index and is correlated with ECBF.

[Position paper on working in the intensive care unit during pregnancy : DIVI recommendations for improving the situation of pregnant employees in the ICU]. / Positionspapier zum Arbeiten in der Schwangerschaft auf der Intensivstation : DIVI-Empfehlungen zur Verbesserung der Lage von schwangeren Mitarbeiterinnen auf einer Intensivstation.

The Maternity Protection Act is intended to protect the mother and the child from hazards, excessive demands and damage to health in the workplace, and from financial disadvantages and loss of employment. However, the objectives defined by the Maternity Protection Act-the safety and health of the pregnant employee on the one hand and the prevention of disadvantages in working life on the other-are not yet adequately achieved in the intensive care unit (ICU). Implementation of the Maternity Protection Act to the benefit of all involved parties should also be promoted in the specialist areas represented by the DIVI, in particular the work of pregnant physicians and nursing staff and other working specialists (respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychotherapists, and social workers) in the ICU. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the need to consider each pregnant and breastfeeding staff member individually and to work together to find a personal solution for continuing to work in the ICU. Possible ways and solutions to achieve this goal are outlined and practical examples are given for implementation in everyday clinical routine. These are also based on comprehensive presentation of activities according to a traffic light color-code system for all occupational groups. Arguments against pregnant employees working in the ICU are discussed and possible solutions are presented.

[Position paper on working in the intensive care unit during pregnancy : DIVI recommendations for improving the situation of pregnant employees in the ICU]. / Positionspapier zum Arbeiten in der Schwangerschaft auf der Intensivstation : DIVI-Empfehlungen zur Verbesserung der Lage von schwangeren Mitarbeiterinnen auf einer Intensivstation.

The Maternity Protection Act is intended to protect the mother and the child from hazards, excessive demands and damage to health in the workplace, and from financial disadvantages and loss of employment. However, the objectives defined by the Maternity Protection Act-the safety and health of the pregnant employee on the one hand and the prevention of disadvantages in working life on the other-are not yet adequately achieved in the intensive care unit (ICU). Implementation of the Maternity Protection Act to the benefit of all involved parties should also be promoted in the specialist areas represented by the DIVI, in particular the work of pregnant physicians and nursing staff and other working specialists (respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychotherapists, and social workers) in the ICU. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the need to consider each pregnant and breastfeeding staff member individually and to work together to find a personal solution for continuing to work in the ICU. Possible ways and solutions to achieve this goal are outlined and practical examples are given for implementation in everyday clinical routine. These are also based on comprehensive presentation of activities according to a traffic light color-code system for all occupational groups. Arguments against pregnant employees working in the ICU are discussed and possible solutions are presented.

VV-ECMO as bridge and safety net for successful therapeutic polypragmasy in a case of influenza-triggered near-fatal asthma.

Key Clinical Message: In near-fatal asthma, the combination of ECMO therapy and isoflurane application via an intensive care ventilator with an anesthetic conservation device represents a therapeutic combination in seemingly hopeless clinical situations. Abstract: We report a case of an adult patient with near-fatal asthma, who was implanted venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in an extern hospital before transfer to our tertiary center. After 13 days and various therapeutic approaches, including inhaled isoflurane therapy via an anesthetic-conserving device, the patient was decannulated and extubated 3 days later.

A rare case of right heart failure with the necessity for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation following pulmonary vein stenosis after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) after radiofrequency energy-mediated percutaneous pulmonary vein isolation as a treatment option for atrial fibrillation is a serious complication and the prevalence in historical reports varies between 0% and 42%. Symptoms of PVS are nonspecific and can include general symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, recurrent pneumonia, and chest pain. Pathophysiologically it increases the postcapillary pressure in the pulmonary circuit and may result in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment are common. We here report a case of a 59-year-old female with a history of pulmonary vein ablation followed by progressive dyspnea (New York Heart Association IV), right heart failure, CPR, and the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Further treatment strategy includes pulmonary vein dilatation and stenting of both the left superior pulmonary vein and left inferior pulmonary vein, as well as balloon dilatation of RIPV under temporary ECMO support. Symptomatic, severe PVS is a rare complication after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. PVS can result in life-threatening complications such as PH with acute right heart failure. Early diagnosis is crucial but challenging. Mechanical cardiopulmonary support by veno-arterial ECMO for bridging to angioplasty could be a lifesaving option.