Automatic Museum Audio Guide.

An automatic "museum audio guide" is presented as a new type of audio guide for museums. The device consists of a headset equipped with a camera that captures exhibit pictures and the eyes of things computer vision device (EoT). The EoT board is capable of recognizing artworks using features from accelerated segment test (FAST) keypoints and a random forest classifier, and is able to be used for an entire day without the need to recharge the batteries. In addition, an application logic has been implemented, which allows for a special highly-efficient behavior upon recognition of the painting. Two different use case scenarios have been implemented. The main testing was performed with a piloting phase in a real world museum. Results show that the system keeps its promises regarding its main benefit, which is simplicity of use and the user's preference of the proposed system over traditional audioguides.

The «Weekday Effect¼ Does Not Have an Impact on the Development of Complications or Mortality After Pulmonary Resection: Retrospective Cohort Study. / El «efecto día de la semana¼ no tiene impacto en la aparición de complicaciones o mortalidad tras la resección pulmonar: estudio de cohortes histórico.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether elective anatomic pulmonary resection surgery carried out at the end of the week is associated with a higher mortality and postoperative morbidity than surgery performed at the beginning of the week. METHOD: Historical cohort study. All patients undergoing anatomical pulmonary resection between January 2013 and November 2018 in our center were included. Patients operated at the end of the week (Thursday or Friday) were considered «not exposed¼ and patients operated at the beginning of the week (Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday) were considered «exposed¼. The likelihood of cardiorespiratory complications and operative death (30days) was compared in the two cohorts calculated using the Eurolung1 and2 risk models. 30-day mortality and the occurrence of cardiorespiratory and technical complications were studied as outcome variables. The incidence of these adverse effects was calculated for the overall series and for both cohorts, and the relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were determined. RESULTS: The overall mortality of the series was 0.9% (10/1172), the incidence of cardiorespiratory complications was 10.2% (120/1172) and that of technical complications was 20.6% (242/1172). The RR calculated for cardiorespiratory, technical complications and mortality in exposed and unexposed subjects was: 0.914 (95%CI: 0.804-1.039), 0.996 (95%CI: 0.895-1.107) and 0.911 (95%CI: 0.606-1.37), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients operated at the end of the week do not present a higher risk of postoperative adverse effects.

Optimum web viewer application for DICOM whole slide image visualization in anatomical pathology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Digital scanners are being increasingly adopt-ed in anatomical pathology, but there is still a lack of a standardized whole slide image (WSI) format. This translates into the need for interoperability and knowledge representation for shareable and computable clinical information. This work describes a robust solution, called Visilab Viewer, able to interact and work with any WSI based on the DICOM standard. METHODS: Visilab Viewer is a web platform developed and integrated alongside a proposed web architecture following the DICOM definition. To prepare the information of the pyramid structure proposed in DICOM, a specific module was defined. The same structure is used by a second module that aggregates on the cache browser the adjacent tiles or frames of the current user's viewport with the aim of achieving fast and fluid navigation over the tissue slide. This solution was tested and compared with three different web viewers, publicly available, with 10 WSIs. RESULTS: A quantitative assessment was performed based on the average load time per frame together with the number of fully loaded frames. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests were used to compare each web viewer latency results and finally to rank them. Additionally, a qualitative evaluation was done by 6 pathologists based on speed and quality for zooming, panning and usability. The proposed viewer obtained the best performance in both assessments. The entire architecture proposed was tested in the 2nd worldwide DICOM Connectathon, obtaining successful results with all participant scanner vendors. CONCLUSIONS: The online tool allows users to navigate and obtain a correct visualization of the samples avoiding any restriction of format and localization. The two strategical modules allow to reduce time in displaying the slide and therefore, offer high fluidity and usability. The web platform manages not only the visualization with the developed web viewer but also includes the insertion, manipulation and generation of new DICOM elements. Visilab Viewer can successfully exchange DICOM data. Connectathons are the ultimate interoperability tests and are therefore required to guarantee that solutions as Visilab Viewer and its architecture can successfully exchange data following the DICOM standard. Accompanying demo video. (Link to Youtube video.).

[Results of surgery for non-small cell lung cancer with N2 involvement unsuspected before thoracotomy]. / Resultados de la cirugía del carcinoma de pulmón no microcítico con afectación N2 no sospechada antes de la toracotomía.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze survival in a group of patients with N2 involvement discovered during or after lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer and to evaluate the variables that affect survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included all patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent resection between January 1994 and October 2004 and in whom the definitive tumor classification was stage spIIIA due to N2 extension (n=74). Patients with stage spIIIB undergoing induction chemotherapy and patients for whom surgery was considered incomplete were excluded. RESULTS: Mean survival times were significantly different (P=.002) between resection types: pneumonectomy, 18.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9-29.2 months), and lobectomy, 42.4 months (95% CI, 28.7-56.1 months). The number of lymph-node stations affected did not have a significant effect on survival. However, when only 1 station was involved, mean survival was different for lobectomy and pneumonectomy (48.0 months [95% CI, 31-65 months] vs 14.8 months [95% CI, 4.8-24.7 months], respectively; P=.002) but no differences were found when N2 spread involved more than a single station. Adjuvant therapy was used in 50% of cases (n=35): chemotherapy in 6 cases; radiotherapy in 17 cases; and both in 12 cases. The mean survival rate for lobectomy patients with no adjuvant therapy was 31.6 months (95% CI, 15.6-47.5 months) and 46.2 months (95% CI, 32.2-60.1 months) (P=.01) with adjuvant therapy, whereas there were no differences in the group of pneumonectomy patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo lobectomy clearly survive longer than those who undergo pneumonectomy when N2 lymph node involvement is found in only 1 station during surgery. Furthermore, adjuvant therapy may increase mean survival times for lobectomy patients.

SECT Clinical practice guideline on the management of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. / Guía de práctica clínica de la SECT sobre el manejo de pacientes con neumotórax espontáneo.

This clinical practice guideline (CPG) emerges as an initiative of the scientific committee of the Spanish Society of Thoracic Surgery. We formulated PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) questions on various aspects of spontaneous pneumothorax. For the evaluation of the quality of evidence and preparation of recommendations we followed the guidelines of the Grading of recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group.

Low-cost oblique illumination: an image quality assessment.

We study the effectiveness of several low-cost oblique illumination filters to improve overall image quality, in comparison with standard bright field imaging. For this purpose, a dataset composed of 3360 diatom images belonging to 21 taxa was acquired. Subjective and objective image quality assessments were done. The subjective evaluation was performed by a group of diatom experts by psychophysical test where resolution, focus, and contrast were assessed. Moreover, some objective nonreference image quality metrics were applied to the same image dataset to complete the study, together with the calculation of several texture features to analyze the effect of these filters in terms of textural properties. Both image quality evaluation methods, subjective and objective, showed better results for images acquired using these illumination filters in comparison with the no filtered image. These promising results confirm that this kind of illumination filters can be a practical way to improve the image quality, thanks to the simple and low cost of the design and manufacturing process.

Predicted versus observed FEV1 in the immediate postoperative period after pulmonary lobectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Scanty information can be found regarding ppoFEV1% correlation with true FEV1% in the immediate days after surgery, when most cardio-respiratory complications are developed. This prospective multicentric investigation aims to describe the evolution of FEV1 in a series of uneventful lobectomy cases before hospital discharge, and to identify factors associated with the variation of postoperative residual FEV1, with the ratio between the actual and the predicted postoperative FEV1 measured during the first 6 postoperative days. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-one patients submitted to lobectomy were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients with chest wall resections and postoperative complications were excluded. Data from a total of 125 patients were thus used for the analysis. The following clinical variables were recorded: age, preoperative FEV1, ppoFEV1, presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), surgical approach (VATS or muscle-sparing thoracotomy), side (right or left) and site (upper or lower) of resection, type of analgesia (epidural or intravenous), and daily visual analogue pain score (VAS). FEV1 was measured in every patient at hospital admission and daily until discharge or up to postoperative day 6. Random effects time-series cross-sectional regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with variation of postoperative residual function (100-(preoperative FEV1-postoperative FEV1/preoperative FEV1 x 100)), and of FEV1 ratio ((actual postoperative FEV1 x 100)/ppoFEV1). For these analyses, the dependent variables (postoperative residual function and FEV1 ratio) and the pain score were analysed as panel longitudinal data. The regression analyses were subsequently validated by bootstrap procedure. RESULTS: FEV1% was lower at first postoperative day and increased gradually up to day 6 but mean values never reached ppoFEV1%. Pain scores decreased from day 1 to day 6. Preoperative FEV1 (p<0.0001) and postoperative pain score (p<0.0001) resulted independently and reliably inversely associated with postoperative residual FEV1 (model R2, 0.16). Preoperative FEV1 (p=0.001), postoperative pain score (p<0.0001), and epidural analgesia (p=0.04) resulted independently and reliably associated with postoperative FEV1 ratio (model R2, 0.13). CONCLUSION: Current methods of prediction of postoperative FEV1 greatly underestimated the real functional loss in the immediate postoperative period. Therefore, for the purpose of a more accurate risk stratification we need to correct the traditional prediction of postoperative FEV1.

Endobronchial valves in the treatment of persistent air leak, an alternative to surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent air leak is frustrating for both patients and physicians, above all leaks with a high risk of surgery. Insertion of endobronchial valves could be an alternative to surgery. The aim of this study is to describe our experience in these valves and analyse their efficacy in a series of patients with persistent air leaks. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The valves are inserted by means of flexible bronchoscopy under conscious sedation and local anesthesia. A preliminary bronchoscopy identifies the air leak by bronchial occlusion using a balloon catheter. A successful outcome is defined as complete disappearance of the leak following removal of the chest drain, without the need for further surgery. RESULTS: From November 2010 to December 2013, 8 patients with persistent air leaks were treated with endobronchial valves. The number of valves used ranged from 1 to 4 (median 2), with a median duration of air leak prior to placement of 15.5 days. There were no complications and the resolution of the leak was complete in 6 of 8 patients (75%). The median duration of drainage after insertion of the valves was 13 days and the median time to removal of 52.5 days. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of endobronchial valves is a safe and effective method for treating persistent air leaks, and a valid alternative to surgery.

Poorer Survival in Stage IB Lung Cancer Patients After Pneumonectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Pneumonectomy may be needed in exceptional cases in patients with early stage NSCLC, especially in stage IB. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether overall survival in stage IB (T2aN0M0) NSCLC patients is worse after pneumonectomy. METHODS: Retrospective study of a series of pathological IB (pIB) patients who underwent either lobectomy or pneumonectomy between 2000 and 2011. The dependent variable was all-cause death. Operative mortality was excluded. The relationship between the age, FEV1%, Charlson index and performance of pneumonectomy variables and the dependent variable were analyzed using a Cox regression. Overall survival for both groups of patients was then plotted in Kaplan-Meier graphs and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 407 cases were analyzed (373 lobectomies and 34 pneumonectomies). According to Cox regression, age, FEV1% and pneumonectomy were associated with poorer survival (P<.05). Age-adjusted survival and FEV1% showed diminished survival in patients who underwent pneumonectomy (log-rank, P=.0357). CONCLUSIONS: In stage pIB NSCLC patients, pneumonectomy is associated with poorer survival compared to lobectomy.

Morbidity and mortality in octogenarians with lung cancer undergoing pneumonectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the restrictiveness of selection criteria for lung resection in lung cancer patients over 80 years of age compared to those applied in younger patients. Compare and analyze 30-day mortality and postoperative complications in both groups of patients. METHODS: Case-controlled retrospective analysis. STUDY POPULATION: Consecutive patients undergoing elective anatomical lung resection. Population was divided into octogenarians (cases) and younger patients (controls). Variables determining surgical risk (BMI, FEV1%, postoperative FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, DLCO and pneumonectomy rate) were compared using either Wilcoxon or Chi-squared tests. Thirty-day mortality and morbidity odds ratio were calculated. A logistic regression model with bootstrap resampling was constructed, including postoperative complications as dependent variable and age and post-operative FEV1% as independent variables. Data were retrieved from a prospective database. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found in BMI (P=.40), FEV1% (P=.41), postoperative FEV1% (P=.23), FEV1/FVC (P=.23), DLCO (P=.76) and pneumonectomy rate (P=.90). Case mortality was 1.85% and control mortality was 1.26% (OR: 1.48). Cardiorespiratory complications occurred in 12.80% of younger subjects and in 13.21% of patients aged 80 years or older. (OR: 1.03). In the logistic regression, only FEV1% was related to postoperative complications (P<.005). CONCLUSION: Selection criteria for octogenarians are similar to those applied in the rest of the population. Advanced age is not a factor for increased 30-day mortality or postoperative morbidity.

Usefulness of conventional pleural drainage systems to predict the occurrence of prolonged air leak after anatomical pulmonary resection.

OBJECTIVES: One of the reported advantages of digital pleural drainage system is the possibility of predicting the occurrence of prolonged air leak (PAL) based on the recorded pleural pressures and/or air flow through chest tubes. Nevertheless, this fact has never been well supported. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate if the occurrence of PAL can accurately be predicted using clinical data and air leak measurements 24 h after lung resection on conventional pleural drainage system (CPDS). METHODS: Prospective observational study on 100 consecutive non-complicated patients undergoing anatomical lung resection (segmentectomy, lobectomy or bilobectomy). Prior to the operation, the risk of PAL was evaluated according to the score previously published. Twenty-four hours after surgery, two independent observers measured the air flow at forced deep expiration on a CPDS with graduated analogical leak monitor. The agreement between both observers was determined and in case of discrepancy, the mean of both observations was calculated. After discharge, the occurrence of PAL (defined as persistent air leak 5 or more days after the operation) was recorded. A logistic regression model was constructed including two independent categorical variables (PAL score and air flow) and the performance of the model was assessed by non-parametric receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: The series includes 81 lobectomies, 8 bilobectomies and 11 anatomical segmentectomies. Median preoperative PAL score was 1 (range 0-3.5). Any postoperative air flow was observed in 30 cases with a median value of 0 (0-3.5). The prevalence of PAL in the series was 10% (10 of 100 cases). Both independent variables entered in the multivariate model (PAL score P = 0.050, air flow: 0.016) and C-index was 0.83. CONCLUSION: The performance of this simple predictive model, without any electronic recording, warrants a larger multi-institutional study to validate its usefulness in clinical decision-making regarding the management of patients with air leak after lung resection.

Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary disease.

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein (apo) E polymorphism plays a role in the development of coronary disease, but their involvement in carotid atherosclerosis is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of apo E polymorphism in the development of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary disease. METHODS: In 226 consecutive patients with coronary disease, apo E genotypes were performed by PCR and restriction analysis. Intima-media thickness (IMT) and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in carotid arteries were evaluated by two-dimension ultrasonography. RESULTS: Apo E allele frequencies were: 3=0.70, 4=0.22 and 2=0.08. The only patient with 2/4 genotype was excluded for the analysis. The patients were divided in three groups according to apo E genotype: E2 (2/2, 2/3), E3 (3/3) and E4 (4/4, 4/3). Patients of E4 group had higher values of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apo B than patients of E2 group (P< or =0.01). Carotid IMT mean was not different in E3 (0.81+/-0.21 mm), E4 (0.83+/-0.23 mm) and E2 groups (0.76+/-0.17 mm) (P=0.52). Mean differences of IMT in E3 group were not different from those of E2 or E4 groups after adjusting for age and gender in a first analysis, and for age, gender and LDL cholesterol levels in a second one. The number of plaques in apo E3 group was similar to that in apo E2 or apo E4 groups, after adjusting for the same variables. CONCLUSIONS: A relationship between subclinical carotid atherosclerosis and apo E polymorphism is not found in patients with coronary disease.

Predicting pulmonary complications after pneumonectomy for lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Patients undergoing pneumonectomy for lung cancer are thought to be at high risk for the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PC) and these complications are associated with high mortality rates. The purpose of this study was to identify independent factors associated with increased risk for the development of postoperative PC after pneumonectomy for lung cancer, and to assess the usefulness of predicted pulmonary function to identify high risk patients and other adverse outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 242 patients undergoing pneumonectomy for lung cancer during a 12-year period. Perioperative data (clinical, pulmonary function test, and surgical) were recorded to identify risk factors of PC by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Overall mortality and morbidity rates were 5.4 and 59%, respectively. Thirty-four patients (14%) developed PC (acute respiratory failure, ARF = 8.7%, reintubation = 5.4%, pneumonia = 3.3%, atelectasis = 2.9%, postpneumonectomy pulmonary edema = 2.5%, mechanical ventilation more than 24 h = 1.2%, pneumothorax = 0.8%). Patients with surgical (P < 0.001), cardiac (P < 0.001) and other complications (P < 0.01) had higher incidence of PC than those without postoperative complications. Intensive care unit stay (53 +/- 39 h vs. 35 +/- 19 h; P < 0.001) and hospital stay (18 +/- 11 days vs. 12 +/- 7 days; P < 0.001) was significantly longer in patients with PC. The mortality rate associated with PC was 35.5% (P < 0.001). By univariate analysis, it was found that older patients (P = 0.007), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (P = 0.023), heart disease (P = 0.019), no previous record of chest physiotherapy (P = 0.008), poor predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1s (ppo-FEV1) (P = 0.001), and prolonged anesthetic time (P < 0.001) were related with higher risk of PC. In the multiple logistic regression model, the anesthetic time (minutes; odds ratio, OR = 1.012), ppo-FEV1 (ml/s; OR = 0.998), heart disease (OR = 2.703), no previous record of previous chest physiotherapy (OR = 2.639), and COPD (OR = 2.277) were independent risk factors of PC. CONCLUSIONS: PC after pneumonectomy are associated with high mortality rates. Careful attention must be paid to patients with COPD and heart disease. Our results confirm the relevance of previous chest physiotherapy and the importance of the length of the surgical procedure to minimize the incidence of PC. The predicted pulmonary function (ppo-FEV1) may be useful to identify high risk patients for PC development and adverse outcomes.

[Chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in patients with coronary disease. Relation with increased fibrinogen values]. / Infección crónica por Chlamydia pneumoniae en pacientes con enfermedad coronaria. Relación con el incremento de los valores de fibrinógeno.

BACKGROUND: A number of studies have suggested that infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae can play a role in development of atherosclerosis. The goal of this study was to know the prevalence of chronic C. pneumoniae infection, evaluated with IgG antibodies seropositivity, in Spanish patients with coronary disease and its association with inflammatory markers and cardiovascular risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In 176 patients with coronary disease IgG and IgM antibodies to C. pneumoniae were determined by enzyme immunoassay. In addition, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein values were measured as inflammatory markers. Controls were 55 healthy subjects whose age was not different from patients. Seropositivity for C. pneumoniae was considered when indices of IgG and/or IgM antibodies were higher than mean plus two standard deviations of control values. Three patients with seropositivity for IgM were excluded. RESULTS: In 126 patients and 2 controls a seropositivity against C. pneumoniae was proved (72.8% vs 4.2%; p < 0.001). Cardiovascular risk factors were not different in seropositive and seronegative groups of patients. Prevalence of hyperfibrinogenemia was higher in the former group (38.8% vs 19.1%; p = 0.01). The number of the patients with increased values of C-reactive protein was similar in both groups, although these values could be modified by treatment with statins. In multivariate analysis an association between seropositivity for C. pneumoniae and hyperfibrinogenemia was found (odds ratio [OR] = 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-5.48; p = 0.03) after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic infection with C. pneumoniae in patients with coronary disease is very prevalent, and it is associated with increased fibrinogen values.

[Homocysteine and progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary disease]. / Homocisteína y progresión de la aterosclerosis de la arteria carótida en pacientes con enfermedad coronaria.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a marker of generalized atherosclerosis. Sequential evaluation of carotid IMT has permitted to know the factors involved in its progression. However, there are few studies about the influence of homocysteine in such progression. The aim of this work was to know the effect of homocysteine values on the evolution of carotid IMT in patients with coronary disease. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Carotid IMT (baseline and after 4 years of follow-up) was evaluated by a B-mode ultrasonography in 187 patients with coronary disease (166 males and 21 females; age: mean [standard deviation], 60 [7] years); 185 patients were treated with statins from the beginning of the study. RESULTS: Carotid IMT progression was confirmed in 59 patients (31.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 25.0-38.7%). Cardiovascular risk factors, basal biochemical parameters and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase-C677T polymorphism were similar in patients with and without progression except for homocysteine values which were higher in the former (13.3 [5.3]; 95% CI, 12.0-14.6 vs 11.1 [3.5]; 95% CI, 10.5-11.7 (mol/l; p = 0.001). Biochemical changes at the end of the study were similar in both groups. In the multivariate analysis, IMT progression was associated with basal values of homocysteine (odds ratio [OR] 1.19; 95% CI, 1.07-1.31; p = 0.0008), female gender (OR 3.50; 95% CI, 1.17-10.50; p = 0.02), hypertension (OR 2.52; 95% CI, 1.14-5.59; p = 0.02) and basal high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol values (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90-0.98; p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of homocysteine is associated with the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease treated with statins.

The risk of bilobectomy compared with lobectomy: a retrospective analysis of a series of matched cases and controls.

OBJECTIVES: Bilobectomy is considered to be a risky procedure due to space mismatch between the pleural space and the remnant lung. The objective of this study was to evaluate if postoperative complications related or not to size mismatch are more frequent after bilobectomy compared with right lobectomy cases. METHODS: Retrospective case-control study on a series of matched non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Cases were patients who underwent right bilobectomy (upper and middle or lower and middle) and controls, patients who underwent right upper or lower lobectomy. Cases and controls were matched by propensity scoring according to site, age, ppoFEV1, type of postoperative management (intensive physiotherapy or not), cardiac comorbidity and pT status. We selected two primary outcomes for comparison: occurrence of any cardiorespiratory complication and occurrence of any complication related to space discrepancies. For the latter, all complicated case records were reviewed and two blinded observers agreed on the probability of each complication to be related to space discrepancies. Agreement was measured by the κ statistic. The overall odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each outcome were calculated on 2 × 2 tables for the whole population and for cases with upper or lower resections. RESULTS: The study included 689 patients: 572 right lobectomy (419 upper and 153 lower) and 117 bilobectomy cases (30 upper and middle and 87 lower and middle). The overall mortality rate of the series was 2.03% (14/689), and cardiorespiratory complications were recorded in 14.4% (99/689) and space-related complications in 19.59% (135/689) cases. Both observers agreed on space-related complications in 86% of the 135 cases (κ: 0.72). After matching, 234 cases entered the study (117 with right lobectomy, including 83 lower and 34 upper, and 117 with bilobectomy, including 87 lower and 30 upper). The prevalence of cardiorespiratory complications was higher after lower and middle lobectomy compared with lower lobectomy (P = 0.0002; OR: 7.96, 95% CI: 2.19-43.16). No differences were found in death rates or in space-related complications between groups of lobectomy and bilobectomy cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to demonstrate a higher space-related complication rate in bilobectomy cases but cardiorespiratory complications were statistically higher after lower and middle lobectomy compared with lower lobectomy in matched cases.

Effect of implementing the European guidelines for functional evaluation before lung resection on cardiorespiratory morbidity and 30-day mortality in lung cancer patients: a case-control study on a matched series of patients.

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that postoperative cardiorespiratory morbidity and/or 30-day death rates decreased after implementing the new European ERS/ESTS guidelines for functional evaluation before lung resection and tested the hypothesis by means of a case-control study. METHODS: The analysis included a series of 916 consecutive patients who underwent an anatomical pulmonary resection for non-small-cell lung cancer in our centre. Patients were divided into cases (September 2009-August 2012) and controls (December 2002-August 2009). We reviewed the records from a prospective computerized database; the final dataset included no missing data. The primary studied outcomes were the occurrence of cardiorespiratory morbidity or 30-day death after surgery. The patients were 1:1 propensity score matched according to the following variables age, ppoFEV1% and the need of pneumonectomy. RESULTS: After the matching process, 670 cases (335 cases and 335 controls) entered into the study. The rates of pneumonectomy in cases and controls were 5.7 and 13.2%, respectively, (P < 0.0001) in the whole series and 5.7 and 6.9% after matching (P = 0.52). Cardiorespiratory morbidity was 8.1% (27 of 308) in cases and 9.8% (33 of 335) in controls [odds ratio (OR): 0.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4-1.4]. Thirty-day mortality was 0.90% (3/335) in cases and 1, 2% (4 of 335) in controls (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.1-4.4). CONCLUSIONS: Although we have observed a trend towards lower cardiorespiratory morbidity and 30-day mortality after implementing ERS/ESTS guidelines, the benefit of the guidelines remains unclear. Multicentric analysis including a very large number of cases is needed to demonstrate statistically the effectiveness of the guidelines to reduce operative mortality and cardiorespiratory morbidity. Maybe the effect could be easier demonstrated in series with higher operative mortality or morbidity.

The risk of death due to cardiorespiratory causes increases with time after right pneumonectomy: a propensity score-matched analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to compare in-hospital, 30-day and non-cancer-related 6-month death rates in a series of right and left pneumonectomy cases matched according to functional parameters. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on a series of 263 non-small cell lung cancer patients who underwent pneumonectomy. Left and right pneumonectomy cases were matched according to propensity scores using the following variables: age, coronary artery disease, any other cardiac comorbidity and predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (ppoFEV1). After matching, 89 pairs of cases were selected. In-hospital, 30-day and 6-month crude and risk-adjusted death rates not related to cancer relapse or distant metastases were calculated for right and left pneumonectomy and compared on 2-by-2 tables using odds ratios. Death hazards were estimated by Cox regression, introducing the following independent variables in the model: age, cardiac comorbidity, ppoFEV1 and occurrence of any postoperative cardiorespiratory complication or bronchial fistula. RESULTS: Non-cancer-related in-hospital, 30-day and 6-month death rates were, respectively, 8.4 (3.4 in left and 13.5 in right cases; P = 0.015), 11.8 (7.8 in left and 15.7 in right cases; P = 0.10) and 18.5% (12.4 in left and 24.7 in right cases; P = 0.033). On Cox regression, age, right pneumonectomy and the occurrence of postoperative cardiorespiratory complications (but not bronchial fistula) were related to the risk of death at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of death after pneumonectomy increases with time and strongly depends on the side of the operation (it is higher after right pneumonectomy) and on the occurrence of any postoperative cardiorespiratory complication. Neither hospital nor 30-day mortality should be reported as a valid outcome after pneumonectomy since they do not represent the real risk of the operation.