Triggered RNAi Therapy Using Metal Inorganic Nanovectors.

The administration of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a very interesting therapeutic option to treat genetic diseases such as Alzheimer's or some types of cancer, but its effective delivery still remains a challenge. Herein, Au nanorod (GNR)-based platforms functionalized with polyelectrolyte layers were developed and analyzed as potential siRNA nanocarriers. The polymeric layers were successfully assembled on the particle surfaces by means of the layer-by-layer assembly technique through the alternating deposition of oppositely charged poly(styrene)sulfonate, PSS, poly(lysine), PLL, and siRNA biopolymers, with a final hyaluronic acid layer in order to provide the nanoconstructs with a potential targeting ability as well as colloidal stability in physiological medium. Once the hybrid nanocarriers were obtained, the cargo release, their colloidal stability in physiological-relevant media, cytotoxicity, cellular internalization and uptake, and knockdown activity were studied. The present hybrid particles release the genetic material inside cells by means of a protease-assisted and/or a light-triggered release mechanism in order to control the delivery of the oligonucleotides on demand. In addition, the hybrid nanovectors were observed to be nontoxic to cells and could efficiently deliver the genetic material in the cell cytoplasms. The GNR-based nanocarriers proposed here can provide a suitable environment to load and protect a sufficient amount of the genetic material to allow an efficient and sustained knockdown gene expression for long (up to 93% for 72 h), thanks to the slow degradation of PLL, without the observation of adverse side toxic effects. It was also found that the silencing activity was enhanced with the number of siRNA layers assembled in the nanoplatforms.

Efficacy and safety of transcatheter valve-in-valve replacement for Mitroflow bioprosthetic valve dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: Bioprostheses with pericardial leaflets mounted externally on the stent pose a high risk for valve-in-valve (ViV) procedures. This study analyzed the efficacy and safety of ViV procedures for treating structural valve deterioration (SVD) in Mitroflow bioprostheses. METHODS: Between January 2012 and August 2017, 11 patients (mean age 80.3 ± 5.6 years) were treated for SVD of Mitroflow bioprostheses with transcatheter ViV procedures (six transapical [TA] and five transfemoral [TF]) using balloon expandable bioprostheses. RESULTS: All patients but one were in NYHA class III-IV. Mean STS PROM, euroSCORE I, and euroSCORE II were 8 ± 6.5%, 27.8 ± 11.5%, and 12 ± 5.9%, respectively. Two patients had a "porcelain aorta." The size of implanted valves were 23 mm in 10 cases and 26 mm in one case. One patient suffered a coronary occlusion during a TF approach. The mean volume of contrast used in TF implants was 163 ± 69.8 mL. No contrast media were used in TA procedures. There was one in-hospital death (10%). At 1 year of follow-up, peak and mean aortic gradients were 25.5 ± 5.8 mmHg and 15.5 ± 5.7 mmHg, respectively. One patient had mild paravalvular regurgitation. Cumulative survival was 90.9% at 1 year, 70.7% at 2 years, and 53% at 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: ViV procedures with balloon-expandable aortic valves provide good hemodynamic and clinical mid-term results for treating patients with a degenerated Mitroflow aortic bioprosthesis. Special care must be taken in small aortic roots, when the stented valve is in the supra-annular position to avoid coronary ostial obstruction.

Repair of Late Retrograde Type A Aortic Dissection After TEVAR: Causes and Management.

One of the most feared complications of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and hybrid arch repair is retrograde type A aortic dissection (RTAD). More than two-thirds of RTAD occurs in the immediate postoperative period and first postoperative month. In presentations beyond that point, progression of the native aortopathy must be considered. We report a late presentation of an RTAD seven months after hybrid repair of an aortic intramural hematoma with an ulcer-like projection, and review the causes and management of this TEVAR complication.

Long-Term Outcomes and Durability of the Mitroflow Aortic Bioprosthesis.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine the incidence and causes of structural valve deterioration (SVD) among all models of Mitroflow bioprostheses (A12/LX/DL), as well as to define their long-term clinical and hemodynamic performance. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively reviewed a series of 1023 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with Mitroflow bioprostheses between 2001 and 2014. A small aortic root was found in 22.4% of patients. There were two cases of severe patient-prosthesis mismatch. Only 31 patients developed SVD. The rate of incidence was 8.1 cases per 1000 patient-years. Cumulative incidence of SVD was 1.4% and 3% at five and 10 years, respectively. Freedom from SVD was 97.4% and 88.2% at five and 10 years, respectively. Anticalcification phospholipid reduction treatment (PRT) for model DL was a protective factor for SVD. Multivariable analysis confirmed age <70 years and use of 19 mm valve as independent predictors of SVD. Cumulative survival was 76.6% at five years and 42.3% at 10 years (mean follow-up 3.8 ± 3.1 years). In multivariable analysis, neither the use of small aortic prosthesis (p = 0.18) nor the occurrence of SVD (p = 0.85) was found to be independent predictors of long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: Mitroflow valves demonstrate an acceptable rate of SVD and satisfactory long-term hemodynamic performance, particularly in patients with small aortic roots, age >70 years, and cases with severe left ventricular hypertrophy. PRT might contribute to improved long-term durability. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12726 (J Card Surg 2016;31:264-273).

Synchronized parallel deployment of vascular plugs for treating large aneurysms of pulmonary arteries.

We report an endovascular technique for the treatment of large neck pulmonary artery aneurysms. This technique consists of the synchronized parallel deployment of two vascular plugs.

Traumatic brachiocephalic trunk pseudoaneurysm.

The surgical approach to a large pseudoaneurysm of the brachiocephalic trunk may be hazardous because of its high risk of rupture. An adequate vascular control is vital before attempting to manage the pseudoaneurysm. We describe a surgical technique using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to repair a giant pseudoaneurysm of the brachiocephalic trunk with impending rupture and severe respiratory distress and superior vena cava compression secondary to multisystem trauma.

Clinical and structural outcomes of neocommissural alignment in transaxillary and transcarotid transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a self-expandable transcatheter heart valve.

Objectives: This study analyzes neocommissural alignment and the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes after transaxillary and transcarotid implantation of the Acurate neo2 transcatheter heart valve. Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-center analysis of early outcomes after transaxillary and transcarotid implantation of the Acurate neo2 transcatheter heart valve. Primary outcomes were neocommisural alignment, in-hospital mortality, and valve hemodynamic performance. Commissural alignment between native and transcatheter heart valves was assessed by transesophageal echocardiogram before and after the procedure. Results: Between October 2021 and November 2022, 40 consecutive patients were treated with the Acurate neo2 through a transaxillary or transcarotid approach. Access was achieved via the left subclavian artery in 30 cases and the left common carotid artery in 10 cases, with a mean vessel diameter of 6.7 mm. Implants most commonly used were size M (37.5%), L (35%), and S (27.5%). On the basis of transesophageal echocardiogram analysis, there was no significant difference in mean commissural orientation between native (mean, 65.1°; SD, 41.3°) and neocommissures (mean, 64°; SD, 44.1°) (P = .661). Mean commissural orientation did not significantly differ between native and neocommissures (P = .661). Optimal alignment or mild commissural misalignment was achieved in 99.5% of cases. There were no cases of severe commissural misalignment. Postprocedural mean values for peak and mean gradients were 12.7 mm Hg and 5.2 mm Hg, respectively. There were 2 cases of moderate paravalvular leak and 4 cases of mild paravalvular leak. Conclusions: This patient-specific technique for transaxillary and transcarotid insertion of the Acurate neo2 delivery system prevents implantations with more than mild commissural misalignment and with a high device success rate.

Traumatic aortic injuries associated with major visceral vascular injuries in major blunt trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to report the clinical and radiological characteristics and outcomes of a series of acute traumatic aortic injuries (ATAIs) with associated injury to major aortic abdominal visceral branches (MAAVBs). METHODS: From January 2000 to August 2011, 10 consecutive major blunt trauma patients with associated ATAI and injury to MAAVBs (group A) and 42 major blunt trauma patients presenting only an ATAI without MAAVB injuries (group B) were admitted to our institution. RESULTS: Overall in-hospital mortality was 32.7%. In-hospital mortality in group A was 40% and in group B it was 31% (p = 0.86). Observed in-hospital mortality was slightly lower than the expected in-hospital mortality in both groups. Mean peak creatine phosphokinase was significantly higher in group A than in group B patients (23,008 ± 33,400 vs. 3,970 ± 3,495 IU/L; p < 0.001). Acute renal injury occurred in 50% of group A and in 26.2% of group B patients. Hemodiafiltration was required in 30% of group A and in 9.5% of group B patients. Median follow-up time was 64 months (range = 1-130 months). Group A survival was 60% at 1, 5 and 10 years. Group B survival was 69% at 1 year and 63.3% at 5 and 10 years (p = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Aortic injuries associated with MAAVB injuries in major trauma patients seem to present in a different clinical scenario. These patients present increased risk of rhabdomyolysis, visceral ischemia, and acute renal failure, as well as higher in-hospital mortality. A multidisciplinary approach combining endovascular and open surgical techniques for a staged treatment of these life-threatening aortic and MAAVB injuries is mandatory in this critical subset of trauma patients.

Combined Therapeutics for Atherosclerosis Treatment Using Polymeric Nanovectors.

Atherosclerosis is an underlying risk factor in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The combination of drugs with microRNAs (miRNA) inside a single nanocarrier has emerged as a promising anti-atherosclerosis strategy to achieve the exploitation of their complementary mechanisms of action to achieve synergistic therapeutic effects while avoiding some of the drawbacks associated with current systemic statin therapies. We report the development of nanometer-sized polymeric PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) capable of simultaneously encapsulating and delivering miRNA-124a and the statin atorvastatin (ATOR). The polymeric NPs were functionalized with an antibody able to bind to the vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) overexpressed in the inflamed arterial endothelium. The dual-loaded NPs were non-toxic to cells in a large range of concentrations, successfully attached overexpressed VCAM receptors and released the cargoes in a sustainable manner inside cells. The combination of both ATOR and miRNA drastically reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α and of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in LPS-activated macrophages and vessel endothelial cells. In addition, dual-loaded NPs precluded the accumulation of low-density lipoproteins (LdL) inside macrophages as well as morphology changes to a greater extent than in single-loaded NPs. The reported findings validate the present NPs as suitable delivery vectors capable of simultaneously targeting inflamed cells in atherosclerosis and providing an efficient approach to combination nanomedicines.

Left atrial size and risk for all-cause mortality and ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on the relation between left atrial size and outcome among patients referred for clinically indicated echocardiograms. Our aim was to assess the association of left atrial size with all-cause mortality and ischemic stroke in a large cohort of patients referred for echocardiography. METHODS: Left atrial diameter was measured in 52 639 patients aged 18 years or older (mean age 61.8 [standard deviation (SD) 16.3] years; 52.9% men) who underwent a first transthoracic echocardiogram for clinical reasons at our institution between April 1990 and March 2008. The outcomes were all-cause mortality and nonfatal ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Based on the criteria of the American Society of Echocardiography, 50.4% of the patients had no left atrial enlargement, whereas 24.5% had mild, 13.3% had moderate and 11.7% had severe left atrial enlargement. Over a mean follow-up period of 5.5 (SD 4.1) years, 12 527 patients died, and 2314 patients had a nonfatal ischemic stroke. Cumulative 10-year survival was 73.7% among patients with normal left atrial size, 62.5% among those with mild enlargement, 54.8% among those with moderate enlargement and 45% among those with severe enlargement (p < 0.001). After adjustment in multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, left atrial diameter remained a predictor of all-cause mortality in both sexes (hazard ratio [HR] per 1-cm increment in left atrial size 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.22, p < 0.001 in women, and HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13, p < 0.001 in men) and of ischemic stroke in women (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.14-1.37, p < 0.001). INTERPRETATION: Left atrial diameter has a graded and independent association with all-cause mortality in both sexes and with ischemic stroke in women.

Balloon-expanding transcatheter aortic valve implantation for degenerated Mitroflow bioprostheses: clinical and echocardiographic long-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to analyse the risks associated with valve-in-valve procedures for treating structural valve deterioration in Mitroflow bioprostheses, as well as to determine the impact of the original Mitroflow size on the patients' long-term outcomes. METHODS: Between January 2012 and September 2019, 21 patients (61.9% males; mean age 82.4 ± 5.4 years) were treated for Mitroflow deterioration with valve-in-valve procedures (12 transapical and 9 transfemoral). RESULTS: Mean EuroSCORE I and EuroSCORE II were 28.2% ± 13.6% and 10.5% ± 6.1%, respectively. Six patients presented an indexed aortic root diameter <14 mm/m2 and 7 patients a diameter of sinus of Valsalva <30 mm. Implanted transcatheter valve sizes were 20 mm in 6 cases, 23 mm in 14 cases and 26 mm in 1 patient. A Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 complication occurred in 23.8% of cases, including 3 coronary occlusions. In-hospital mortality was 9.5%. The 20 mm transcatheter valves presented significantly higher postoperative peak and mean aortic gradients than other sizes (54.1 ± 11.3 mmHg vs 29.9 ± 9.6 mmHg, P = 0.003; and 29.3 ± 7.7 mmHg vs 17.4 ± 5.9 mmHg, P = 0.015, respectively). There were 12 cases of patient-prosthesis mismatch (57.1%) and 3 cases (14.3%) of severe patient-prosthesis mismatch. Cumulative survival was 85.7% ± 7.6% at 1 year, 74.3% ± 10% at 2 years and 37.1% ± 14.1% at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Valve-in-valve procedures with balloon-expandable transcatheter valves associate a high risk of coronary occlusion in patients with indexed aortic root diameter <14 mm/m2 and low coronary ostia <12 mm. Valve-in valve procedures with 20 mm balloon-expandable transcatheter valves in ≤21 mm Mitroflow bioprosthesis leave significant residual transvalvular gradients that might obscure patients' long-term outcomes.

Non-contrast transoesophageal echo-guided transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement: 10-year experience of a renoprotective strategy.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety and long-term outcomes of a renoprotective non-contrast, transoesophageal echocardiography-guided transapical (TA) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) strategy with a balloon-expandable prosthesis, as well as to determine its impact on renal function. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2019, 200 consecutive patients underwent a non-contrast, transoesophageal echocardiography-guided TA TAVR with a balloon-expandable prosthesis. RESULTS: The device success rate was 95.5%. Transoesophageal echocardiography-guided deployment demonstrated a low rate of procedure-related complications: 9.5% of acute kidney injury, 8% postoperative bleeding, 6% low-cardiac output, 4.5% postprocedural aortic regurgitation ≥+2, 4% implantation of permanent pacemaker and 2% stroke. There were no significant differences between preoperative and on discharge estimated glomerular filtration rate (53.9 ± 22.2 vs 54.3 ± 22.9 ml/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.60). Logistic regression analysis confirmed postoperative bleeding as an independent predictor for acute kidney injury (odds ratio (OR) 11.148, 95% confidence interval 3.537-35.140, P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was 7.5%. The mean follow-up was 48.5 ± 39.9 months. Renal function and patient's chronic kidney disease stage did not significantly vary during follow-up. Long-term cumulative survival at 1, 5 and 10 years was 84.2 ± 0.027%, 42.9 ± 0.038% and 32.5 ± 0.044%, respectively. Renal function affected on neither in-hospital mortality nor long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: Non-contrast, transoesophageal echocardiography-guided TA TAVR is a safe and reproducible technique with a low incidence of periprocedural complications that avoids the use of contrast and mitigates the incidence of acute kidney injury.

Value of exercise echocardiography for predicting mortality in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease are often referred for pharmacological stress testing. Data on the value of exercise echocardiography (ExEcho) for predicting outcome (particularly all-cause mortality) in these patients are scarce. METHODS: Peak treadmill ExEcho was performed in 2159 patients ≥ 70 years of age with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Left ventricular wall motion was evaluated at baseline and with exercise, and the increase in wall motion score index from rest to peak exercise (ΔWMSI) was calculated. Ischaemia was diagnosed when new or worsening wall motion abnormalities developed with exercise. The end points were all-cause mortality and major cardiac events (cardiac death or myocardial infarction). RESULTS: Ischaemia developed in 844 patients (38·6%) during exercise. Over a mean follow-up of 3·5 ± 3·1 years, 439 deaths occurred. The cumulative 5-year mortality rate was 29·3% in patients with ischaemia versus 16·8% in those without ischaemia (P < 0·001). After covariate adjustment, ΔWMSI remained an independent predictor of mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2·37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·66-3·39, P < 0·001] and major cardiac events (HR 3·48, 95% CI 2·11-5·74, P < 0·001). These results remained significant even in patients with chronotropic incompetence. When added to a model with clinical, resting echocardiographic and exercise electrocardiogram variables, ExEcho results provided incremental value for the prediction of both end points (P < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: ExEcho is feasible in elderly patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease and provides useful information for risk stratification in these patients.

Prognostic value of exercise echocardiography in patients with atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: Non-invasive imaging techniques for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) may have technical problems in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Although the prognostic value of exercise echocardiography (ExEcho) has been well established in several subgroups of patients, it has not yet been specifically evaluated in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: From a population of 8095 patients with known or suspected CAD referred for ExEcho, 419 had AF at the time of the tests. Ischaemia was defined as the development of new or worsening wall motion abnormalities with exercise. Endpoints were hard cardiac events (i.e. cardiac death or non-fatal myocardial infarction). Mean age was 68.4 +/- 8.5 years, and 256 patients (61.1%) were men. Ischaemia was detected in 92 patients (22%). Over a mean follow-up of 3.10 +/- 2.98 years, 59 hard cardiac events occurred. The 5-year hard cardiac event rate was 37.3% in patients with ischaemia, when compared with 14.5% in patients without ischaemia (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, ischaemia on ExEcho remained an independent predictor of hard cardiac events (hazard ratio 1.99, 95% confidence interval 1.06-3.74, P = 0.03), and also provided incremental value over clinical, resting echocardiographic and treadmill exercise data for the prediction of hard cardiac events (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: ExEcho provides significant prognostic information for predicting hard cardiac events in patients with AF.

Extrinsic compression of the left atrium by a mediastinal hematoma secondary to inadvertent carotid puncture.

We present the case of a 63-year-old man who underwent surgical closure of a paravalvular mitral leak. Immediately after surgery, transesophageal echocardiography revealed the appearance of a mediastinal hematoma encroaching on the left atrium and separating the esophageal probe from the posterior left atrial wall. The cause was an inadvertent puncture of the carotid artery, presumably during central venous line insertion prior to surgery.

Late complication of classic Fontan operation: giant right atrial thrombus and massive pulmonary thromboembolism.

Thrombus formation can be a significant cause for morbidity and mortality after Fontan operation. Intracardiac thrombus formation can lead to chronic pulmonary embolic disease if formed on the right side, or stroke, if on the left side of the heart. Right-sided embolism may result in ventilation/perfusion mismatch or elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance, both of which may seriously hamper cavopulmonary physiology. We report the case of a 22-year-old patient, with past history of classic Fontan procedure performed at the age of six to palliate a single-ventricle tricuspid atresia, who presented with a massive pulmonary embolism and hemodynamic instability. Due to his critical status, mechanical fragmentation of the clot using the angiography catheter was started, followed by a local catheter-directed infusion of urokinase. This case demonstrated that pharmacomechanical thrombolysis therapy with a standard Pig-tail catheter and thrombolytic therapy with urokinase is secure, effective, and appropriated to manage heart chamber and pulmonary arterial thrombosis in patients with congenital heart disease.

Gold Nanorod-Based Nanohybrids for Combinatorial Therapeutics.

In this work, multifunctional nanocarriers consisting of poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)/doxorubicin (DOXO)/poly-l-lysine hydrobromide (PLL)/hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated and (PSS/DOXO/PLL)2/HA-coated gold nanorods were assembled by the layer-by-layer technique with the aims of coupling the plasmonic photothermal properties of the metal nanoparticles for plasmonic hyperthermia and the chemoaction of drug DOXO for potential intended combinatorial cancer therapeutics in the future as well as providing different strategies for the controlled and sustained release of the cargo drug molecules. To do that, DOXO could be successfully loaded onto the hybrid nanoconstructs through electrostatic interactions with high efficiencies of up to ca. 78.3 ± 6.9% for the first formed drug layer and 56 ± 13% for the second one, with a total efficiency for the whole system [(PSS/DOXO/PLL)2/HA-coated NRs] of ca. 65.7 ± 1.4%. Nanohybrid internalization was observed to be enhanced by the outer HA layer, which is able to target the CD44 receptors widely overexpressed in some types of cancers as lung, breast, or ovarian ones. Hence, these nanohybrid systems might be versatile nanoplatforms to simultaneously deliver sufficient heat for therapeutic plasmonic hyperthermia and the anticancer drug. Two controlled mechanisms were proposed to modulate the release of the chemodrug, one by means of the enzymatic degradable character of the PLL layer and another by the modulation of the interactions between the polymeric layers through the exploitation of the optical properties of the hybrid particles under near infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. The combination of this bimodal therapeutic approach exerted a synergistic cytotoxic effect on both HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells in vitro. Cell death mechanisms were also analyzed, elucidating that plasmonic photothermal therapy induces cell necrosis, whereas DOXO activates the cell apoptotic pathway. Therefore, the present NIR laser-induced targeted cancer thermo/chemotherapy represents a novel targeted anticancer strategy with easy control on demand and suitable therapeutic efficacy.

Value of the coronary artery disease consortium rule in patients with acute chest pain and negative troponins referred for exercise stress testing.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of the pretest probability (PTP) of coronary artery disease (CAD) for predicting stress testing results and coronary events in patients with acute chest pain and negative troponins. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 3527 patients without a history of CAD referred to our chest pain unit with suspected acute coronary syndromes, nondiagnostic ECGs, and negative troponin levels underwent exercise stress testing. PTP was estimated with the CAD consortium prediction rule, and was categorized as low (<15%), low-intermediate (15-65%), intermediate-high (66-85%), and high (>85%). The endpoints were the presence of signs of inducible myocardial ischemia on stress testing and the occurrence of coronary events within 6 months. RESULTS: The probability of exercise-induced myocardial ischemia was 2.6, 12.6, 42.9, and 82.1% in patients with low, low-intermediate, intermediate-high, and high PTP, respectively (Ptrend<0.001). The cumulative rate of coronary events within 6 months was also significantly lower in patients with low PTP of CAD (0.8%) than in those with low-intermediate (6.9%), intermediate-high (32.5%), or high PTP (66.7%) (Ptrend<0.001). Per 10% increment in PTP of CAD, the adjusted odds ratios for inducible myocardial ischemia and coronary events within 6 months were, respectively, 1.71 (95% confidence interval: 1.61-1.85) and 1.87 (95% confidence interval: 1.74-2.01). CONCLUSION: PTP was associated strongly with the likelihood of exercise-induced myocardial ischemia and coronary events in patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes and negative troponins. The yield of stress testing in the subset of patients with low PTP was very low.

Evolution of conservative treatment of acute traumatic aortic injuries: lights and shadows.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to compare early and long-term results in terms of survival and aortic complications for traumatic aortic injuries depending on the initial management strategy. METHODS: From January 1980 to January 2017, 101 patients with aortic injuries were divided into 3 groups according to management strategy at admission: 60 patients, conservative management; 26 patients, open surgery and 15 patients, endovascular repair. The groups were similar in terms of gender and trauma severity scores. RESULTS: All but 1 aortic-related complications and aortic-related mortality occurred in the conservative group (11.6% conservative vs 2.4% in both surgical and endovascular groups, P = 0.091). Total follow-up was 1109.27 patient-years. Survival in the conservative, surgical and endovascular group was 71.7%, 80.8% and 79.4% at 1 year, 68.2%, 80.8% and 79.4% at 5 years and 63.9%, 72.7% and 79.4% at 10 years, respectively (log-rank = 0.218). The rate of aortic-related complications was 58.3% in the conservative cohort. Cox regression identified the following risk factors for aortic-related complications: aortic injuries grade >I [odds ratio (OR), 3.05; P = 0.021], Trauma Injury Severity Score >50% (OR 1.21; P = 0.042) and the decade of treatment (OR 0.49; P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Minimal aortic injuries seem to be an amenable target for medical management, but patients remain at risk of developing aortic-related complications. Close, long-term imaging surveillance is mandatory to detect such complications at an early stage.

Diagnosis, management and mortality in acute aortic syndrome: results of the Spanish Registry of Acute Aortic Syndrome (RESA-II).

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of acute aortic syndrome should improve the outcome of this disease. The Spanish Registry of Acute Aortic Syndrome aimed to assess current results in acute aortic syndrome management in a wide cohort of hospitals in the same geographical area. METHODS: From January 2012 to January 2014, 26 tertiary hospitals included 629 consecutive patients with acute aortic syndrome: 73% men, mean age 64.7±14 years (range 22-92), 443 type A (70.4%) and 186 type B (29.6%). RESULTS: Time elapsed between symptom onset and diagnosis was <12 hours in 70.7% of cases and <24 hours in 84.0% (median 5 hours; 25th-75th percentiles, 2.7-15.5 hours). Computed tomography was the first diagnostic technique in 78% of patients and transthoracic echocardiography in 15%. Surgical treatment was indicated in 78.3% of type A acute aortic syndrome. The interval between diagnosis and surgery was 4.8 hours (quartile 1-3, 2.5-11.4 hours). Among the patients with type B acute aortic syndrome, treatment was medical in 116 cases (62.4%), endovascular in 61 (32.8%) and surgical in nine (4.8%). Type A mortality during hospitalisation was 25.1% in patients treated surgically and 68% in those treated medically. Mortality in type B was 13.8% in those with medical treatment, 18.0% with endovascular therapy and 33.0% with surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of acute aortic syndrome have not resulted in a significant reduction in hospital mortality. The results of this study reflect more overall and less selected information on acute aortic syndrome management and the need for sustained advances in the therapeutic strategy of acute aortic syndrome.