Application for a Bridge Therapy of Percutaneous Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty in the Era of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Single Center Experience / 中国循环杂志

Objectives: To explore the clinical experience for a bridge therapy of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (PBAV) in treating the patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Methods: A total of 37 patients with severe AS who were not suitable for surgical valvular replacement received PBAV in our hospital from 2011-03 to 2017-03 were retrospectively studied. The patient's mean age was (74±12) years, their clinical and anatomical features, efficacy and safety of operation were observed and the outcomes were evaluated by follow-up study. Results: Patients presented the high surgical risk and worse cardiac function, 50% of them had bicuspid leaflet morphology with severe calcification [HU850=(856.0±658.2) mm3]. Balloon size was chosen by the intra-operative supra-annular diameters; at 7 days after operation, aortic valve orifice area (AVOA) was increased from (0.37±0.10) cm2to (0.87±1.10) cm2, the mean trans-aortic valve gradient pressure decreased form (55.1±22.9) mmHg to (44.8±17.8) mmHg, P<0.001 and LVEF elevated form(35.8±14.3)% to(41.0±12.2)%,P<0.001.There were 4 patients died in hospital,1 received permanent pacemaker and 1 developed severe aortic valve regurgitation. The patients were followed-up for (16.5±11.1)months after operation, 13/37 (35.1%) patients were in transition to surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Conclusions: PBAV may have good early clinical efficacy in severe AS patients who were not suitable for surgical valvular replacement and TAVR; PBAV could be expected to become a bridge therapy, smaller supra-annular diameter was safe and effective for patients having bicuspid leaflet with severe calcification.

Safety and Cost-Effectiveness of Bridge Therapies for Invasive Dental Procedures in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valves

PURPOSE: Bridge anticoagulation therapy is mostly utilized in patients with mechanical heart valves (MHV) receiving warfarin therapy during invasive dental procedures because of the risk of excessive bleeding related to highly vascular supporting dental structures. Bridge therapy using low molecular weight heparin may be an attractive option for invasive dental procedures; however, its safety and cost-effectiveness compared with unfractionated heparin (UFH) is uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study investigated the safety and cost-effectiveness of enoxaparin in comparison to UFH for bridge therapy in 165 consecutive patients (57+/-11 years, 35% men) with MHV who underwent invasive dental procedures. RESULTS: This study included 75 patients treated with UFH-based bridge therapy (45%) and 90 patients treated with enoxaparin-based bridge therapy (55%). The bleeding risk of dental procedures and the incidence of clinical adverse outcomes were not significantly different between the UFH group and the enoxaparin group. However, total medical costs were significantly lower in the enoxaparin group than in the UFH group (p or =65 years) was significantly associated with an increased risk of total bleeding independent of bridging methods (odds ratio, 2.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-5.48; p=0.022). Enoxaparin-based bridge therapy (beta=-0.694, p<0.001) and major bleeding (beta=0.296, p=0.045) were significantly associated with the medical costs within 30 days after dental procedures. CONCLUSION: Considering the benefit of enoxaparin in cost-effectiveness, enoxaparin may be more efficient than UFH for bridge therapy in patients with MHV who required invasive dental procedures.

Clinical observation of feasibility and efficacy of decitabine bridge therapy followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia / 肿瘤

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of DAC (decitabine) bridge therapy followed by allo-HSCT (allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) in patients with MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome) and AML (acute myeloid leukemia). Methods: Seven patients with MDS and 12 patients with AML received DAC bridge therapy followed by allo-HSCT. Results: With DAC bridge therapy, 4 MDS patients achieved complete remission/marrow complete remission and 3 remained stable disease before allo-HSCT. After successful engraftment attained in all the seven MDS patients, six survived without disease, one received donor lymphocyte infusion and obtained complete remission after relapse and eventually died of pneumonia. Of 12 AML patients, 6 achieved complete remission after DAC bridge therapy; 5 survived without disease, one still survived but having disease, and 6 had died. The rates of acute and chronic GVHD were 31.6% and 21.1%, respectively. The two-year overall survival rate and the two-year cumulative recurrence rate were 57.9% and 36.2% after allo-HSCT, respectively. The two-year cumulative recurrence-free rate was 23.6% after allo-HSCT. Conclusion: DAC regimen can be safely and efficiently administrated to bridge time to allo-HSCT in patients with MDS/AML. Copyright © 2013 by TUMOR.