Effect of Different Blood Groups on Long-Term Outcomes of Surgical Revascularisation.

BACKGROUND: ABO blood groups are considered to be associated with cardiovascular disease. Nonetheless, the definite effect of ABO blood groups on the clinical outcome of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is still undetermined. We evaluated whether ABO blood groups can predict long-term major adverse cardiocerebrovascular events (MACCE) in CABG patients. METHOD: In this retrospective cohort study, we retrieved the clinical files of eligible patients treated with isolated CABG in our hospital between March 2007 and March 2016. We divided the patients into four ABO subgroups. The primary study endpoints were the occurrence of all-cause mortality and MACCE during long-term follow-ups. We used Cox regression survival analysis to define the association of ABO blood groups with the occurrence of MACCE. RESULTS: Of 17,892 patients who underwent isolated CABG, 17,713 (mean age, 61.19±9.47 years, 74.6% male) were successfully followed, and their data used in the final analysis. Our multivariable analysis demonstrated that patients with different blood groups had similar 5-year mortality and 5-year MACCE. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in patients who underwent CABG, ABO blood groups were not associated with long-term MACCE.

Prosthetic heart valves and the COVID-19 pandemic era: What should we be concerned about?

BACKGROUND: The disturbance in the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients receiving warfarin therapy is of concern. We aimed to evaluate coagulation features in hospitalized patients under warfarin treatment for prosthetic heart valves during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia pandemic. METHODS: Between 20 February and 28 March 2020, 10 patients (7 males) who were under warfarin therapy for prosthetic heart valves were hospitalized after a diagnosis of COVID-19 in Tehran Heart Center, Tehran, Iran. The clinical, paraclinical, and in-hospital outcomes were described. The patients were followed for 4 weeks. RESULTS: The median age was 62 years. All the patients received antiviral treatment, either lopinavir/ritonavir or oseltamivir. The serum level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ranged between 0.24 and 15.24 mg/dL. Alanine aminotransaminase was normal in all the patients except for two, with levels 1.6 and 4.2 times above normal values. The INR increased in all the patients. One (10%) patient died in the hospital. No bleeding, ischemic, or thrombotic events occurred during the hospital stay and within the 4-week follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral therapy in patients with COVID-19 with prosthetic heart valves might be an issue responsible for an uncontrolled INR. Liver injury may happen in a minority of patients. Bridging in these patients during the antiviral treatment might be required and because of significant INR fluctuations, it might be safer to prescribe antiviral treatment in an inpatient setting.

Early and mid-term outcomes of off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with triple-vessel coronary artery disease: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Several studies have compared early and late outcomes of on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and off-pump CABG. However, there is still an ongoing debate on this matter, especially in patients with triple-vessel coronary artery disease (3VD). METHODS: We randomly assigned 274 consecutive patients with 3VD to two equal groups to undergo on-pump CABG or off-pump CABG. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), including all-cause mortality, acute coronary syndrome, stroke or transient ischemic attack, and the need for repeat revascularization. The secondary outcomes were postoperative infection, ventilation time, ICU admission duration, hospital stay length, and renal failure after surgery. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 31.2 months (range 24.6-35.2 months). The mean age of patients was 61.4 ± 9.3 years (range: 38-86), and 207 (78.7%) were men. There were 15 (11.2%) and 9 (7.0%) MACCE occurrences in on-pump and off-pump groups, respectively (P value = 0.23). MACCE components including all-cause death, non-fatal MI, CVA, and revascularization did not significantly differ between on-pump and off-pump groups. We observed no difference in the occurrence of MACCE between off-pump and on-pump groups in multivariable regression analysis (HR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.24-1.32; P value = 0.192). There were no statistical differences in postoperative outcomes between the off-pump and on-pump CABG groups. CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump CABG is an equal option to on-pump CABG for 3VD patients with similar rates of MACCE and postoperative complications incidence when surgery is performed in the same setting by an expert surgeon in both methods. (IRCT20190120042428N1).

Novel immunomodulatory function of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives with leishmanicidal activity.

OBJECTIVES: Previously, some nitroheteroaryl-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were identified to have potent activity against Leishmania sp. The present aim was to complete the in vitro analysis, thereby investigating the in vivo efficiency of the analogues 15a, 21a and 21b against infected BALB/c mice. METHODS: Following parasite inoculation and intraperitoneal drug administration (5 and 20 mg/kg/day) for 5 days, the course and size of cutaneous lesions, histopathology of the liver, parasite loads in the spleen through limiting dilution assay as well as spleen cell activation assays through cytokine secretion profiles were studied in BALB/c mice, over a period of 23 and 30 days post-drug injections. RESULTS: The analogues significantly decreased lesion size and progression of infection in the liver and spleen, and were associated with granuloma formation, which correlates with disease regression in the liver of murine hosts. Moreover, the analogues had immunomodulatory effects, stimulating interferon-γ expression and suppressing interleukin-10 and interleukin-5 production, favouring type-1 immune responses and resolution of the parasitic infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight marked differences between the responses of key anatomical organs to the thiadiazole derivatives in comparison with the current antileishmanial drug, meglumine antimoniate. The in vivo observations provide further evidence on the efficiency of the compounds for Leishmania treatment. The immunomodulatory function plays an essential role in enhancing cell-mediated immunity for complete clearance of the pathogen.

WITHDRAWN: Molecular Characteristics of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An Appealing Source for Regenerative Medicine.

The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2012.04.021. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn.

Efficacy of Date Palm Pollen in the Male Sexual Dysfunction after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Clinical Trial.

Background: Bypass graft surgery of the coronary artery has a significant effect on the creation and development of sexual dysfunction among male patients. The previous studies have demonstrated that date palm pollen (DPP) increases the count and quality of sperm. Additionally, it has been shown that DPP has a protective effect against myocardial infarction and cardiac remodeling. Therefore, this is the first study investigating the impact of DPP (Phoenix dactylifera L.) on managing male sexual dysfunction after coronary artery bypass graft. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients (DPP group n = 30, control group n = 30) of Iranian men after coronary artery bypass graft. Two parallel groups were randomly generated from the study participants. The intervention group was prescribed 3 grams of the powder of DPP twice a day (9 AM and 9 PM) for two months, while the control group received the same prescription of the placebo powder. Results: The DPP consumption significantly increased the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) (from 23.21 to 46.57) and the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire (HISD) (from 59.39 to 64.45) scores over time in the intervention group. However, there were no significant changes in the control group. Conclusion: Daily intake of 6 g DPP for two months exhibited beneficial effects on the symptoms of male sexual dysfunction in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).

Late Retrograde Aortic Dissection after Hybrid Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR): A Case Report.

Open total arch replacement is allied to high rates of mortality and morbidity; surgeons, therefore, tend to choose hybrid aortic arch repair as a less invasive operative procedure for the treatment of aortic arch aneurysms, especially in high-risk patients. However, studies on the early and late outcomes of patients undergoing hybrid aortic arch repair have revealed high rates of reintervention and reoperation compared with open total arch replacement. Here, we describe a male patient with late retrograde aortic dissection after hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair for aortic arch aneurysms. The patient returned 3 years after the procedure with signs of dyspnea on exertion and chest pain. Transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography showed dissection of the ascending aorta, for which he underwent a redo Bentall procedure. The patient was weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass without any problem and discharged after 7 days.

Endovascular treatment of aortobronchial fistula secondary to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).

Aortobronchial fistula (ABF) is a rare and late complication of cardiac surgery. If untreated, mortality rate is approximately 100% secondary to exsanguinations haemoptysis. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for successful management. Open surgical repair is associated with high morbidity and mortality rate, ranging from 25% to 41%. Endovascular treatments of ABF is a less invasive treatment modality and have become an important alternative to open surgical intervention in aortic pathologies. We present a case of ABF that successfully is managed by endovascular approach.

Klebsiella pneumoniae pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta after coronary artery bypass graft.

Mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta is rare in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and usually caused by staphylococcus aureus. We describe a patient with a mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta at the proximal vein graft anastomosis site after CABG. Culture from the sinus tract of the sternum and from the aneurysm sac was Klebsiella pneumoniae. Surgical technique was patch repair of aorta under hypothermic circulatory arrest. He is asymptomatic at 24 months follow-up.

Prognostic role of moderate functional tricuspid regurgitation in length of hospitalization in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting.

Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) is defined as abnormal systolic tricuspid leakage with normal valve structures, and its prognostic role and management in patients with left-heart valve disease is well known. Due to paucity of data on FTR in patients with ischemic heart disease, the aim of our prospective study was to compare the prognostic effect of FTR between patients with moderate FTR and those with less-than-moderate FTR undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This prospective cohort study included all the patients who were candidate for isolated CABG and were referred for preoperative transthoracic echocardiography between April 2018 and November 2018. Patients were categorized into two groups: less-than-moderate FTR and moderate FTR. The endpoints of the study were the prognostic effect of FTR on short-term mortality and morbidities as a composite endpoint, as well as length of hospitalization, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and ventilation time. Of a total of 410 patients, 363 patients (mean age = 62.4 years, 63.7% men) entered our final analysis. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that composite endpoints of short-term mortality and morbidities was not significantly different between the two groups, but moderate FTR had a statistically significant effect on length of hospitalization (P = 0.002) and the ventilation time (P = 0.048). This effect, however, did not persist after adjustments for probable known confounders. Our study indicated no significant prognostic effect for preoperative FTR versus less-than-moderate FTR on short-term mortality and morbidities, as well as length of hospitalization, length of ICU stay, and the ventilation time.

A Rare Missense Mutation and a Polymorphism with High Frequency in LDLR Gene among Iranian Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

BACKGROUND: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a disorder that is inherited by autosomal dominant pattern. The main cause of FH disease is the occurrence of mutations in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene sequence, as well as apolipoprotein B and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 genes, located in the next ranks, respectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five unrelated Iranian patients with FH were screened using a high-resolution melting (HRM) method for exon 9 along with intron/exon boundaries of LDLR gene. Samples with shift in resultant HRM curves were compared to normal ones, sequenced, and analyzed. RESULTS: Our findings revealed a missense mutation c. 1246C>T and a known variant IVS9-30C>T (rs1003723) that was recognized in 71% of the patients (22%: homozygous and 49%: heterozygous genotypes). In silico analysis, predicted the pathological effect of the c. 1246C>T mutation in LDLR protein structure, but IVS9-30C>T variant had no predicted effect on splice site and branch point function. CONCLUSION: FH is a hereditary type of hypercholesterolemia that leads to premature cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis, and early diagnosis is needed. We detected a rare missense mutation (1246C>T) and a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the Iranian population. These reports could help in the genetic diagnosis and counseling of FH patients.

Novel Treatment Approach to Ascending Aorta Pseudoaneurysms: A Case Report.

The pseudoaneurysm of the aorta is rarely due to trauma and infection but usually is a late complication of previous surgical procedures like coronary artery bypass graft surgery. We describe a 65-year-old woman with the pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta due to coronary artery bypass graft surgery. It was revealed in coronary artery angiography after nonspecific symptoms. It was confirmed by multidetector computed tomographic angiography. The patient refused open cardiac surgery, so we decided to use an atrial septal defect occluder device in off-label way to seal the pseudoaneurysm orifice. In a hybrid operating room setting, the procedure was done successfully and patient's hospitalization course was eventless. In multidetector computed tomographic angiography after 3 months, the device was in the appropriate position without endoleak and in the yearly visit the patient was asymptomatic and healthy.

Efficacy of Preoperative Color Doppler Sonography of Lower Extremity Veins on Postoperative Outcomes in Candidates of Saphenectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Doppler sonography is a type of sonography used for imaging the blood flow in the vessels and heart. This technique uses ultrasound waves with high frequency. In some patient candidates for venous graft, the identification of the suitable vein is not possible with clinical examination. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the effects of preoperative color Doppler sonography of lower extremity veins on the postoperative outcomes of saphenectomy. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 100 candidates of an off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) hospitalized in Afshar Hospital in Yazd in 2015. Patients were divided into two groups: 50 patients in the study group and 50 patients in the control group. Patients in the study group underwent color Doppler sonography of lower extremity veins using the Medison 8000 Live device. Patients in the control group were assessed preoperatively by routine venous examination without undergoing color Doppler sonography. The prepping and draping methods and also the preoperative antibiotics were the same for both groups. The patients were assessed for wound infection, edema, hematoma, and DVT 2 days, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The length of incision for saphenectomy was 29.20 ± 3.71 cm in the Doppler group and 28.98 ± 3.72 cm in the non-Doppler group with no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.768). The two groups were not significantly different with respect to age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and history of peripheral vessels disease, postoperative infection, postoperative organ edema, postoperative hematoma, and postoperative DVT. CONCLUSION: Preoperative color Doppler sonography of the saphenous vein before saphenectomy has no effect on reducing the postoperative complications, and saphenectomy on the basis of intraoperative examination of the vein course by the surgeon has acceptable consequences. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR) (http://www.clinicaltrials.in.th) with the TCTR ID: TCTR20160708001. FUNDING: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Asymptomatic Interrupted Aortic Arch, Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation, and Bicuspid Aortic Valve in a 76-Year-Old Woman.

Interrupted aortic arch is a rare congenital abnormality with a high infancy mortality rate. The principal finding is loss of luminal continuity between the ascending and descending portions of the aorta. Because of the high mortality rate in infancy, interrupted aortic arch is very rare among adults. In this report, we describe the case of a 76-year-old woman with asymptomatic interrupted aortic arch, severe tricuspid regurgitation, and bicuspid aortic valve. To our knowledge, she is the oldest patient ever reported with this possibly unique combination of pathologic conditions. In addition to reporting her case, we review the relevant medical literature.

Elimination of routine chest radiographs following off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: A randomized controlled trial study.

BACKGROUND: Post cardiac surgery routine chest radiographs (CXRs), ordered without any clinical and laboratory indications, is a standard obligatory practice in many cardiothoracic centers. Routine CXRs incur cost, manpower, and radiation. The objective of this study is to assess early outcome in off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) patients with postoperative routine versus clinically indicated CXR protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a randomized clinical trial conducted on 231 OPCAB candidates in Afshar Cardiac Center, Yazd, Iran. Patients were categorized into two groups. All 118 patients in group A had routine postoperative CXRs. The 113 patients in group B were selectively exposed to CXR only on clinical indications. All patients were postoperatively followed up for 30 days. Data gathered from both groups were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Routine postoperative CXRs obtained in 118 OPCAB group A candidates showed abnormal findings in 20 patients that did not require new intervention. One month follow-up of these patients showed no complications. In 113 OPCAB candidates of group B, 7 on-demand CXRs were obtained on clinical evaluation that required added intervention. In a 1-month follow-up of this group, five patients presented with symptomatic complaints. On re-examination, none needed readmission, intervention, or paraclinical evaluation. No complications were observed due to CXR elimination. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that postoperative CXR selected on clinical grounds in place of routine CXR does not change early postoperative outcome of OPCAB procedure.

The effect of posterior pericardiotomy on pericardial effusion and atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft.

The most common type of arrhythmia following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is atrial fibrillation (AF) with an incidence rate of 20-30%. Pericardial effusion is one of the etiologic factors of atrial fibrillation occurring after CABG. Posterior pericardiotomy (PP) causes the drainage of blood and fluids from the pericardial space into the pleural space leading to a decreased pericardial effusion. Most of the studies dealing with the occurrence of AF in the surgical operation of CABG have focused on patients undergoing on-pump CABG. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of posterior pericardiotomy on pericardial effusion and atrial fibrillation following the off-pump CABG. This study was a clinical trial conducted on 207 patients. The patients were randomly assigned to groups A, and B. Posterior pericardiotomy was performed on the patients in Group A. This was not done on patients in Group B. Following general anesthesia and median sternotomy, the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and saphenous vein were harvested simultaneously. Following the injection of heparin, distal and proximal anastomosis was performed and at the end of surgery, a longitudinal incision with a length of 4 cm was performed parallel and posterior to the left phrenic nerve from the left vein to diaphragm for patients in the pericardiotomy group. 105 patients in the pericardiotomy group and 102 patients in the control group were examined regarding demographic variables, AF incidence, and pericardial effusion. There was no statistically significant correlation between two groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the rate of AF incidence (P=0.719) and the rate of pericardial effusion (P=1). Posterior pericardiotomy has no effect on postoperative AF incidence and pericardial effusion in patients undergoing the off-pump CABG.

Anxiety determinants in mothers of children with congenital heart diseases undergoing cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: The infants with congenital cardiovascular diseases are faced with too much problems in the case of their ongoing life. Mothers' stress investigation would be important because can receive the stress from his parents. The aim of the following study was determined anxiety in mothers of children undergoing cardiac surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted by an analytical study on 69 infants' mothers who were operated due to their cardiovascular abnormalities in Yazd Afshar Hospital (2012). In this study, some demographic information and influential factors were recorded germane to mothers' stress, including residential location, history of infant hospitalization or congenital disease as well as some questions in the case of stimuli of the hospital environment, family support, economic situation and the mothers' awareness of their stress. RESULTS: There are statistically significant differences between mothers' stress and their age (P = 0.03) and infants' age (P < 0.0001). There are not statically significant differences between mothers' stress score mean and their educational level (P = 0.75), the infants' hospitalization history (P = 0.57), the history of congenital of disease in family (P = 0.24) and the family support in infant care (P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Those mothers who asserted the stimuli of the hospital environment, infant and its mother support, economic situation and the mothers' awareness lack of disease and infant status as strong stress-making stimuli enjoy a stress high mean.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Continuous versus Intermittent Cefazolin for the Prevention of Infection after Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection is known as a common complication after cardiac surgery, and Cefazolin is the best prophylactic antibiotic to prevent this complication. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous and intermittent Cefazolin for the prevention of superficial surgical site infection following off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 141 patients candidated for OPCAB and divided into two groups. This study was performed between February 2011 and February 2012 in the Iranian city of Yazd. Patients in both groups received 2 g of Cefazolin as a starting dose and at 30 minutes before incision. Definition of surgical site infections was according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Criteria (CDC-criteria). In the continuous infusion group (n = 74), 3 g of Cefazolin was infused over a 24-hour period after surgery. In the intermittent group (n = 67), 1 g of Cefazolin was administered at 3, 11, and 19 hours after the starting dose. Hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, history of heart disease, and incidences of superficial infection were compared between the two groups. Duration of follow- up was 4 weeks. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 60.49 ± 10.63 years. The patients were 30.5% female and 69.5% male. There were no significant differences in age, body surface area, duration of operation, number of distal grafts, number of proximal grafts, and duration of hospital stay before heart surgery between two groups. The incidence of infection in intermittent group was (7.5%) and in continuous groups was (2.7%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of infection between the two groups (p value = 0.26). CONCLUSION: Our findings in this study showed no significant differences between continuous and intermittent Cefazolin for the prevention of superficial surgical site infections after OPCAB.

Maintenance of physical activity and exercise capacity after rehabilitation in coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Physical activity is one of the core components in cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention programs. This study investigated the effect of an intervention based on the health action process approach (HAPA) together with family support in the maintenance of physical activity and exercise capacity in coronary heart disease after discharge from rehabilitation. MATERIALS & METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 96 patients with coronary heart disease were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups at the end of a rehabilitation program at Afshar Hospital, Yazd, Iran. HAPA Constructs and family support using a self-reported questionnaire and maximal oxygen uptake through a treadmill exercise test were measured prior to and 4 months after the intervention. RESULTS: HAPA-based intervention together with family support increased scores of HAPA constructs and family support in the intervention group compared with the control group. The results showed that physical activity and exercise capacity in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group after the intervention. CONCLUSION: HAPA-based intervention together with family support can be a useful tool for maintenance of physical activity and exercise capacity in coronary heart disease.

Molecular characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, source of regenerative medicine.

Bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells capable to differentiate into a variety of lineages. MSCs have emerged as reservoirs for tissue regeneration and wound healing. Through stress signals, MSCs show great tropism for the injured site to manage regenerative process via direct or indirect interactions. MSCs avoid the immune rejection, a high quality factor for treatment of degenerative diseases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying dynamic regulation of various signals, plays an important role for future treatment of heart disorders.