Plasma metabolic profiling of patients with tetralogy of fallot.

BACKGROUND: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a common congenital heart disease with high mortality. However, the medical imageology and liquidbiopsy techniques present certain limitations. Thus, this study investigated the plasma metabolic profiles to distinguish key metabolites for early diagnosis of TOF. METHODS: In total, 69 patients with TOF and 43 normal controls were enrolled for targeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). Absolute quantification of metabolites was performed using our standard database. The differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were screened by fold change (FC), VIP value and pearson correlation coefficient of OPLS-DA model. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate predictive ability of DEMs. RESULTS: Different metabolic profiles were presented between TOF and Normal.The pathway analysis showed that significantly changed metabolites were enriched in nicotinamide and purine metabolism. Many intermediatesproductof purine and amido acid were higher in TOF than in Normal group, while energy substrates and electron carriers were lower in TOF than in Normal group. ROC analysis revealed a high diagnostic value of plasma FAD for differentiating TOF from Normal (AUC = 1). CONCLUSION: Our study quantitatively characterized plasma metabolites in patients with TOF and may help to develop reliable biomarkers that contribute to the early TOF screening.

Comparing mini-sternotomy to full median sternotomy for aortic valve replacement with propensity-matching methods.

Objective: This study aims to compare clinical outcomes between mini-sternotomy and full median sternotomy for aortic valve replacement using propensity-matching methods. Methods: From August 2014 to July 2021, a total of 1,445 patients underwent isolated aortic valve surgery, 1,247 via full median sternotomy and 198 via mini-sternotomy. To reduce the impact of potential confounding factors, a propensity score based on 18 variables is used to obtain 198 well-matched case pairs, which include 231 aortic valve regurgitations and 165 aortic stenosis cases. Result: Occurrences of in-hospital mortality (P = 0.499), stroke (P > 0.999), renal failure (P = 0.760), and paravalvular leakage (P = 0.224) are similar between the two groups. No significant difference in operation, cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic cross-clamp times are found between the two groups. However, compared with the full sternotomy group, the mini-sternotomy group has less postoperative 24-hour drainage (131.7 ± 82.8 ml, P < 0.001) and total drainage (459.3 ± 306.3 ml, P < 0.001). The median mechanical ventilation times are 9.4 [interquartile range (IQR) 5.4-15.6] and 9.8 (IQR 6.1-14.4) in mini-sternotomy and full sternotomy groups (P = 0.284), respectively. There are no significant differences in intensive care unit stay and postoperative stay between the two groups. For either aortic valve regurgitations or aortic stenosis patients, significantly less postoperative 24-h and total drainage are still found in the mini-sternotomy group compared with the full sternotomy group. Conclusions: Mini-sternotomy for aortic valve replacement is a safe procedure, with not only cosmetic advantages but less postoperative drainage compared with full sternotomy. Mini-sternotomy should be considered for most aortic valve operations.

Outcomes of the rehabilitative procedure for patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and hypoplastic pulmonary arteries beyond the infant period.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect and safeness of the right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection with occlusion of major aortopulmonary collaterals and pulmonary artery angioplasty to rehabilitate the hypoplastic pulmonary arteries in patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect beyond the infant period. METHODS: From December 2009 to August 2012, 37 consecutive patients (mean age 1.9 ± 1.7 years, range 0.6-7.2 years) diagnosed with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and pulmonary artery hypoplasia (Nakata index 90.9 ± 42.6 mm(2)/m(2); McGoon ratio 1.0 ± 0.2) were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent the procedure of right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection, during which most of them received transcatheter occlusion of major aortopulmonary collaterals and/or pulmonary angioplasty. Mean follow-up was 1.6 ± 0.8 years (range 0.6-3.3 years). Continuous variables are expressed as means ± standard deviation. RESULTS: There were no early deaths, but one patient died of myocarditis 1 year after the rehabilitation. Significant pulmonary artery growth was obtained (Nakata index 215.1 ± 95.1 mm(2)/m(2), P < 0.001; McGoon ratio 1.6 ± 0.5, P < 0.001) in all of the 37 patients, and among them, 17 patients (45.9%) whose pulmonary growth was considered adequate obtained a complete repair without perforation of the ventricular septal defect. The preoperative McGoon ratio might be a good predictor for adequate pulmonary growth. There was one early death after anatomical repair. At the last visit, all survivors who underwent anatomical repair were in New York Heart Association class I-II with satisfactory haemodynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Connection of the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery is safe and effective to promote the growth of the native pulmonary arteries in patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and hypoplastic native pulmonary arteries. Ultimately, this strategy allows complete repair in the majority of patients beyond infancy.

Clinical advantages of total cavopulmonary anastomosis without cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate surgical methods and results of extracardiac conduit total cavopulmonary anastomosis (EC-TCPA) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: From May 2000 to April 2003, 11 patients with functional univentricle underwent off-pump EC-TCPA (no-CPB group). Their postoperative outcome was retrospectively compared with a 17-patient group who underwent EC-TCPA with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB group) over a concurrent time period. RESULTS: There was 1 operative death in no-CPB group and 2 in CPB group; early postoperative hemodynamics appeared to significantly improve in no-CPB group. Blood and platelet transfusions decreased and blood plasma transfusion significantly lowered in no-CPB group compared with CPB group (P = 0.036). Postoperative courses of patients in no-CPB group were smooth and event free, and extubation time was substantially short Intensive cares unit stay (P = 0.04) and hospital stay (P = 0.02) postoperation were significantly shorter, hospital costs were significantly reduced (P = 0.004) in no-CPB group compared with CPB group. CONCLUSIONS: EC-TCPA without use of CPB is not a difficult procedure; the procedure results in improvement in postoperative hemodynamics, and decreased use of blood and blood products. It is a more efficient operation with more short recovery time and reduced hospital stay.

[Surgical treatment for double outlet of the right ventricle].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience and results of surgical treatment for double outlet of the right ventricle (DORV). METHODS: From May 1985 to December 2001, 41 patients with DORV with age ranging from 10 months to 21 (mean age 10 +/- 6) years underwent surgical treatment. There were 26 male and 15 female patients. 14 patients underwent the classical Rastelli procedure (an intraventricular tunnel and a extra cardiac conduit repair); intraventricular tunnel and relive right ventricle outflow tract directly with and with out pericardial patch in 11; and modified Rastelli procedure in 11; total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) in 2; Bidirection cavopulmnary connection in 2; Arterial switch operation in 1. All patients underwent the procedure by cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: There were 1 early death, 40 patients were discharged without any complication. Thirty-six patients were followed up from 5 months to 17 years. Reoperation in 3, because of residual ventricular septal defect in 1 and left ventricle outflow tract stenosis in 2. All patients were asymptomatic and did well in ordinary life. The cardiac function were in NYHA class I in 34 and class II in 2. The outcome was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Biventricular repair can be achieved in most patients with DORV with satisfactory early and late results, and the late survival was exciting. In complex DORV, a right heart bypass procedure is related to a lower surgical mortality.

Pulmonary blood distribution after total cavopulmonary connection of different types.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feature of pulmonary blood flow distribution after total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) of different types, and to provide the selection of the best type. METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive survival patients after TCPC underwent radionuclide lung perfusion imaging. According to the radionuclide counts in the left and right lungs, analyses of the distribution of blood flow from superior venous cava (SVC) and inferior venous cava (IVC) and the whole pulmonary blood flow in both lungs were made. All patients were divided into 4 groups by the the anastomosis between IVC and pulmonary artery. RESULTS: Group I: The flow ratio of the IVC to left lung was greater than that to the right lung, P < or = 0.01; the flow ratio of the SVC to right lung was greater than that to the left lung, P < or = 0.01; and the whole pulmonary blood flow went dominantly to the left lung, P < or = 0.05, which is not in line with physiological distribution. Group II: the flows from the SVC and IVC were mixed in the middle of the junction and ran evenly into the right and left lungs, the whole pulmonay blood flow went to both lungs, P > or = 0.05. Group III: the flow ratio of the SVC to both lungs were the same, P > or = 0.05, and major part from IVC went to the right lung, P < or = 0.01; the pulmonary blood flow go dominantly to the right lung, P < or = 0.05, which is in accord with physiological distribution. Group IV: the flows from the right SVC went to right lung by 100%, P < or = 0.01, and that from the left SVC went to left lung by 100% too, P < or = 0.01; the flows from IVC went dominantly to the left lung, with little part to the right lung, P < or = 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of TCPC can result in different pulmonary blood distributions. The best flow distribution between the left and right lungs can be obtained by an offset of the IVC anastomosis toward the RPA with widening anastomosis for the patients without persist left superior venous cava (PLSVC).