RÉSUMÉ
RESUMEN Introducción: La terapia de resincronización cardíaca (TRC) es un tratamiento eficaz en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca (IC), baja fracción de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo (FEVI) y QRS ancho. Sin embargo, hay un porcentaje de estos que son no respondedores, lo que implicaría peores resultados clínicos. Objetivos: Valorar las diferencias en parámetros ecocardiográficos de remodelado reverso y tasa de eventos [hospitalización por insuficiencia cardíaca (HIC), muerte de todas las causas (MT), trasplante cardíaco (TXC) y terapias apropiadas (TA)] entre pacientes respondedores vs. no respondedores a la TRC. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron 343 pacientes con TRC. Se los clasifico en respondedores y no respondedores según parámetros clínicos y ecocardiográficos. Se realizó seguimiento a 2 años, en que se evaluó el remodelado reverso y la incidencia de HIC, MT, TXC y TA. Resultados: De los 343 pacientes, 17% fueron no respondedores y 83% respondedores. A los 6 meses y 12 meses no hubo diferencias significativas en cuando a diámetros ventriculares, pero si en la FEVI (p<0,001), que aumentó más en los respondedores. A los 24 meses los respondedores presentaron menor diámetro diastólico (p=0,004), menor diámetro sistólico (p=0,003) y mayor FEVI (p<0,001) Los no respondedores tuvieron significativamente mayor incidencia de HIC (p< 0,001), TXC (p=0,001) y TA (p=0,002) y un exceso de MT en el límite de la significación estadística (p= 0,056). Conclusiones: Los pacientes respondedores a la TRC presentaron mayor remodelado reverso y mejor evolución clínica, en forma acorde a los resultados de estudios observacionales internacionales.
ABSTRACT Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an effective treatment in patients with heart failure (HF), low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wide QRS. However, there are a percentage of these patients who are non-responders, implying worse clinical outcomes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the differences in echocardiographic parameters of reverse remodeling and event rates [hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), all-cause mortality (ACM), heart transplantation (HTX) and appropriate therapies (AT)] between responder vs. non-responder patients to CRT. Methods: A total of 343 patients with CRT, classified into responders and non-responders according to clinical and echocardiographic parameters, were included in the study. A 2-year follow-up was performed, in which reverse remodeling and the incidence of HHF, ACM, HTX and AT were evaluated. Results: Among the 343 patients, 17% were non-responders and 83% responders. At 6 and 12 months there were no significant differences in ventricular diameters, but significant differences in LVEF (p<0.001), with greater increase in responders. At 24 months, responders had smaller diastolic diameter (p=0.004), smaller systolic diameter (p=0.003) and higher LVEF (p<0.001). Non-responders had significantly higher incidence of HHF (p<0.001), HTX (p=0.001) and AT (p=0.002), and an excess of ACM at the limit of statistical significance (p= 0.056). Conclusions: Patients responding to CRT presented greater reverse remodeling and better clinical evolution, in accordance with the results of international observational studies.
RÉSUMÉ
It is well accepted that routine semen analysis is a useful tool for valuation of male potential fertility. In our environment, HOST has been recently applied as an additional approach which early detects structural and/or functional alterations of the sperm membranes. We investigated the possible relationship between some semen parameters and HOST in males from A) fertile couples (23-32 years old; n = 11) and B) sterile couples (25-35 years old; n = 171. Sperm concentration, motility, morphology and HOST (semen incubation in hypoosmotic saline solution-sodium citrate and fructose, 150 m0sm/1--, 37 degrees C during 60 min) were evaluated. In HOST determinations, results higher than 60 of swollen cells are considered within the normal range. In our study, sperm from males of B group showed a significantly lower percentage of hyperhydrated cells than those from A group (55.7 + 2.2 and 70.4 + 2.3 respectively; p < .001). In addition, a significant statistical correlation between HOST vs motility or normal morphology was found. On the contrary, we detected no correlation between HOST vs sperm concentration or volume. We suggest that development and application of HOST as a routine, can play an important role in the evaluation and prognosis of an infertile couple.