Cinacalcet may reduce arterial stiffness in patients with chronic renal disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism - results of a small-scale, prospective, observational study.

AIMS: This study evaluated the impact of cinacalcet on arterial stiffness, determined by pulse wave velocity (PWV), in patients with chronic renal disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, observational study included, SHPT patients with chronic renal disease on dialysis undergoing cinacalcet treatment with a follow-up of 12 months. RESULTS: 21 patients, 62% males, with a mean age of 51.3 years (± 18.0) were included. Cinacalcet was given for at least a year with a mean daily dose of 35 mg (range 30-60 mg). Aortic PWV significantly decreased after 12 months of cinacalcet treatment (9.35 ± 1.83 m/sg vs. 8.66 ± 1.86 m/sg; p = 0.030). Additionally, there was a notable reduction trend in the left ventricular mass index (166.6 ± 39.4 g/m² vs. 156.1 ± 31.8 g/m²), although it did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.063). Alkaline phosphatase and PTH were significantly decreased during the study. However, serum calcium, phosphorus and blood pressure remained stable. CONCLUSION: The results of this study support the possibility that cinacalcet reduces arterial stiffness of SHPT patients with chronic renal disease after 12 months of treatment. Prospective, randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Particle size and cholesterol content of circulating HDL correlate with cardiovascular death in chronic heart failure.

Evidence regarding any association of HDL-particle (HDL-P) derangements and HDL-cholesterol content with cardiovascular (CV) death in chronic heart failure (HF) is lacking. To investigate the prognostic value of HDL-P size (HDL-Sz) and the number of cholesterol molecules per HDL-P for CV death in HF patients. Outpatient chronic HF patients were enrolled. Baseline HDL-P number, subfractions and HDL-Sz were measured using 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The HDL-C/P ratio was calculated as HDL-cholesterol over HDL-P. Endpoint was CV death, with non-CV death as the competing event. 422 patients were included and followed-up during a median of 4.1 (0-8) years. CV death occurred in 120 (30.5%) patients. Mean HDL-Sz was higher in CV dead as compared with survivors (8.39 nm vs. 8.31 nm, p < 0.001). This change in size was due to a reduction in the percentage of small HDL-P (54.6% vs. 60% for CV-death vs. alive; p < 0.001). HDL-C/P ratio was higher in the CV-death group (51.0 vs. 48.3, p < 0.001). HDL-Sz and HDL-C/P ratio were significantly associated with CV death after multivariable regression analysis (HR 1.22 [95% CI 1.01-1.47], p = 0.041 and HR 1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.008 respectively). HDL-Sz and HDL-C/P ratio are independent predictors of CV death in chronic HF patients.

Cambios en el tratamiento y disminución de la mortalidad del síndrome aórtico agudo. Lecciones del Registro Español del Síndrome Aórtico Agudo (RESA) / Spanish Registry of Acute Aortic Syndrome (RESA). Changes in therapeutic management and lower mortality in acute aortic syndrome

Introducción y objetivos El Registro Español del Síndrome Aórtico Agudo (RESA) se inició en 2005 para valorar las características del síndrome aórtico agudo (SAA) en nuestro país. El objetivo es analizar las diferencias en las características, el abordaje y el tratamiento y la mortalidad observadas entre las 3 ediciones del RESA. Métodos Se analizaron los datos de los pacientes con SAA incluidos prospectivamente por 24-30 hospitales terciarios en las 3 ediciones: RESA I (2005-2006), RESA II (2012-2013) y RESA III (2018-2019). Resultados Se incluyó a 1.902 pacientes (el 74% varones; media de edad, 60,7± 12,5 años), 1.329 (69,9%) tipo A y 573 (30,1%) tipo B. Comparando los RESAS, la tomografía computarizada aumentó como técnica diagnóstica (el 77,1, el 77,9 y el 84,2% respectivamente; p=0,001). El tratamiento quirúrgico del SAA tipo A aumentó (el 79,6, el 78,7 y el 84,5%; p=0,045) y la mortalidad total disminuyó (el 41,2, el 34,5 y el 31,2%; p=0,002), coincidiendo con una reducción de la mortalidad quirúrgica (el 33,4, el 25,1 y el 23,9%; p=0,003). En el tipo B, el tratamiento endovascular aumentó (el 22,8, el 32,8 y el 38,7%; p=0,006). La mortalidad total del SAA tipo B disminuyó (el 21,6, el 16,1 y el 12,0%; p=0,005) como consecuencia de la reducción de la mortalidad de los tratamientos médico (el 16,8, el 13,8 y el 8,8%; p=0,030) y endovascular (el 27,0, el 18,0 y el 9,2%; p=0,009). Conclusiones El RESA evidencia una disminución de la mortalidad del SAA tipo A coincidiendo con un incremento del tratamiento quirúrgico y una reducción de su mortalidad. En el SAA tipo B, el tratamiento endovascular se asocia con un aumento de la supervivencia, ya que permite una mejor estrategia terapéutica para los pacientes con complicaciones (AU)

Introduction and objectives The Spanish Registry of Acute Aortic Syndrome (RESA) was launched in 2005 to identify the characteristics of acute aortic syndrome (AAS) in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in management and mortality in the 3 RESA iterations. Method We analyzed data from patients with AAS prospectively included by 24 to 30 tertiary centers during the 3 iterations of the registry: RESA I (2005-2006), RESA-II (2012-2013), and RESA III (2018-2019). Result AAS was diagnosed in 1902 patients (74% men; age, 60.7±12.5 years): 1329 (69.9%) type A and 573 (30.1%) type B. Comparison of the 3 periods revealed that the use of computed tomography increased as the first diagnostic technique (77.1%, 77.9%, and 84.2%, respectively; P=.001). In type A, surgical management increased (79.6%, 78.7%, and 84.5%; P=.045) and overall mortality decreased (41.2%, 34.5%, and 31.2%; P=.002), due to a reduction in surgical mortality (33.4%, 25.1%, and 23.9%; P=.003). In type B, endovascular treatment increased (22.8%, 32.8%, and 38.7%; P=.006), while medical and surgical treatment decreased. Overall type B mortality also decreased (21.6%, 16.1%, and 12.0%; P=.005) in line with a reduction in mortality with medical (16.8%, 13.8%, and 8.8%, P=.030) and endovascular (27.0%, 18.0%, and 9.2%; P=.009) treatments. Conclusion The iterations of RESA show a decrease in mortality from type A AAS, coinciding with an increase in surgical treatment and a reduction in surgical mortality. In type B, the use of endovascular treatment was associated with improved survival, allowing better management in patients with complications (AU)

Taponamiento cardíaco por hematoma retroauricular / Cardiac tamponade due to retroauricular hematoma

Durante el postoperatorio de sustitución de aorta ascendente con tubo valvulado tipo Hamsfield por disección aórtica tipo A, una paciente presentó hipotensión con oliguria, sin pulso paradójico. Mediante ecografía transesofágica en la unidad de cuidados intensivos se puso de manifiesto un hematoma pericárdico que comprimía la aurícula derecha. Se realizó un drenaje subxifoideo mediante una cánula de aspiración bajo control ecocardiográfico, se aspiró el coágulo y se solucionó el compromiso hemodinámico (AU)