A Bicentric Propensity Matched Analysis of 158 Patients Comparing Porcine Versus Bovine Stented Bioprosthetic Valves in Pulmonary Position

Background and Objectives@#Pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) is the most common operation in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). There is controversy regarding the best bioprosthesis. We compare the performance of stented bioprosthetic valves (the Mosaic [Medtronic™] porcine pericardial against Carpentier Perimount Magna Ease [Edwards™] bovine) in pulmonary position in patients with CHD. @*Methods@#Between January 1999 and December 2019, all the PVRs were identified from hospital databases in 2 congenital heart centres in Spain. Valve performance was evaluated using clinical and echocardiographic criteria. Propensity score matching was used to balance the 2 treatment groups. @*Results@#Three hundred nineteen patients were retrospectively identified. After statistical adjustment, 79 propensity-matched pairs were available for comparison Freedom from reintervention for the porcine cohort was 98.3%, 96.1%, and 91.9% at 3, 5, and 10 years and 100%, 98%, and 90.8% for the bovine cohort (p=0.88). Freedom from structural valve degeneration (SVD) for the porcine cohort was 96.9%, 92.8% and 88.7% at 3, 5, and 10 years and 100%, 98%, and 79.1% for the bovine cohort (p=0.38). Bovine prosthesis was associated with a reintervention hazard ratio (HR), 1.12; 95% confidence intervals (CIs), 0.24–5.26; p=0.89 and SVD HR, 1.69 (0.52–5.58); p=0.38. In the first 5 years, there was no difference in outcomes. After 5 years, the recipients of the bovine bioprosthesis were at higher risk for SVD (reintervention HR, 2.08 [0.27–16.0]; p=0.49; SVD HR, 6.99 [1.23–39.8]; p=0.03). @*Conclusions@#Both bioprosthesis have similar outcomes up to 5 years, afterwards, porcine bioprosthesis seem to have less SVD.

External Validation of 3 Risk Scores in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) are an increasing group of patients thanks to the survival of over 85% of children with CHD. 20% of these patients shall warrant a surgical procedure during their life span. However, currently there is no one risk score that assess correctly the mortality of these procedures. Thus, we analyse the risk scores used at our institution. METHODS: From May 1991 till June 2017, 608 procedures in adults with CHD were performed. The 3 risk scores (risk adjustment for congenital heart surgery [RACHS-1], Aristotle, and Euroscore I) of each procedure were analysed. We used area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (c-index) to measure model discrimination, and Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) statistic along with calibration plots to measure calibration. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference between the area under the curve for the 3 scores (χ²=0.58 with 2 df, p=0.750). There was no evidence of lack of fit for RACHS-1 (H-L, χ²=2.61; p=0.271) and Aristotle score (H-L, χ²=5.69; p=0.459). However, there was evidence in lack of calibration in the Euroscore I scoring system (H-L, χ²=33.69; p<0.001). The calibration slope for RACHS-1 was 0.912, for Aristotle (stratified in risk groups) was −0.14 and for Euroscore 1 (stratified in risk groups) was 0.46. CONCLUSIONS: RACHS-1 seems to be best risk scoring system for calculating mortality applied to surgery in adults with CHD.

Nitrosative stress in human spermatozoa causes cell death characterized by induction of mitochondrial permeability transition-driven necrosis / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Peroxynitrite is a highly reactive nitrogen species and a potent inducer of apoptosis and necrosis in somatic cells. Peroxynitrite-induced nitrosative stress has emerged as a major cause of impaired sperm function; however, its ability to trigger cell death has not been described in human spermatozoa. The objective here was to characterize biochemical and morphological features of cell death induced by peroxynitrite-mediated nitrosative stress in human spermatozoa. For this, spermatozoa were incubated with and without (untreated control) 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), in order to generate peroxynitrite. Sperm viability, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), externalization of phosphatidylserine, DNA oxidation and fragmentation, caspase activation, tyrosine nitration, and sperm ultrastructure were analyzed. The results showed that at 24 h of incubation with SIN-1, the sperm viability was significantly reduced compared to untreated control (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the MPT was induced (P < 0.01) and increment in DNA oxidation (P < 0.01), DNA fragmentation (P < 0.01), tyrosine nitration (P < 0.0001) and ultrastructural damage were observed when compared to untreated control. Caspase activation was not evidenced, and although phosphatidylserine externalization increased compared to untreated control (P < 0.001), this process was observed in <10% of the cells and the gradual loss of viability was not characterized by an important increase in this parameter. In conclusion, peroxynitrite-mediated nitrosative stress induces the regulated variant of cell death known as MPT-driven necrosis in human spermatozoa. This study provides a new insight into the pathophysiology of nitrosative stress in human spermatozoa and opens up a new focus for developing specific therapeutic strategies to better preserve sperm viability or to avoid cell death.

Effects on the quality of frozen-thawed alpaca (Lama pacos) semen using two different cryoprotectants and extenders / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To evaluate two extenders and two cryoprotectant agents (CPA) for alpaca semen cryopreservation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Semen samples were obtained from four adult alpacas (Lama pacos) and frozen using extender I (TRIS, citrate, egg yolk and glucose) or extender II (skim milk, egg yolk and fructose), each containing either glycerol (G) or ethylene glycol (EG) as CPA. Consequently, four groups were formed: 1) extender I-G; 2) extender I-EG; 3) extender II-G; and 4) extender II-EG. Semen was diluted in a two-step process: for cooling to 5 degrees (extenders without CPA), and for freezing (extenders with CPA). Viability and acrosome integrity were assessed using trypan blue and Giemsa stains.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When compared, the motility after thawing was higher (P >0.05) in groups II-EG (20.0% +/- 6.7%) and II-G (15.3 % +/- 4.1% ) than that in groups I-G (4.0 % +/- 1.1%) and I-EG (1.0 % +/- 1.4%). Viable spermatozoa with intact acrosomes in groups II-EG (18.7 % +/- 2.9%) and II-G (12.7 % +/- 5.9%) were higher than that in groups I-G (5.7% +/- 1.5%) and I-EG (4.0% +/- 1.0%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The skim milk- and egg yolk-based extenders containing ethylene glycol or glycerol to freeze alpaca semen seems to promote the survival of more sperm cells with intact acrosomes than the other extenders.</p>