Scoring systems in the prediction of atrial fibrillation recurrence after surgical ablation.

INTRODUCTION: More than every third patient experiences recurrent atrial fibrillation after surgical pulmonary vein ablation. However, it remains challenging to predict who will and who will not experience this event. Scoring systems containing baseline risk factors have been proposed as a complementary tool to identify patients at higher risk of experiencing atrial fibrillation recurrence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the value of the scoring systems APPLE, CHA2 DS2 -VASc, and CHADS2 in predicting atrial fibrillation recurrence following surgical ablation. METHODS: In a retrospective study, we identified all patients undergoing concomitant pulmonary vein ablation during cardiac surgery. APPLE-, CHA2 DS2 -VASc-, and CHADS2 scores were calculated for each patient. Subsequently, the predictive value of the scoring systems on atrial fibrillation recurrence 3-12 months postablation was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Receiver operating characteristic curves showed the superiority of the APPLE scoring system with an area under the curve of 0.690 compared to 0.571 for CHA2 DS2 -VASc and 0.569 for CHADS2 , p = .01. Using logistic regression analyses, APPLE and CHA2 DS2 -VASc were predictors of atrial fibrillation recurrence between 3- and 12 months after surgical ablation (odds ratio [OR] 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-2.67, p < .01 and OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.36, p = .04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The APPLE scoring system is superior to CHA2 DS2 -VASc and CHADS2 in predicting atrial fibrillation recurrence after surgical ablation. It can be used as a complementary tool to select the right candidates for surgical ablation and identify patients who need more frequent clinical and electrocardiogram controls.

Surgical treatment of patients with infective endocarditis: changes in temporal use, patient characteristics, and mortality-a nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: Valve surgery guidelines for infective endocarditis (IE) are unchanged over decades and nationwide data about the use of valve surgery do not exist. METHODS: We included patients with first-time IE (1999-2018) using Danish nationwide registries. Proportions of valve surgery were reported for calendar periods (1999-2003, 2004-2008, 2009-2013, 2014-2018). Comparing calendar periods in multivariable analyses, we computed likelihoods of valve surgery with logistic regression and rates of 30 day postoperative mortality with Cox regression. RESULTS: We included 8804 patients with first-time IE; 1981 (22.5%) underwent surgery during admission, decreasing by calendar periods (N = 360 [24.4%], N = 483 [24.0%], N = 553 [23.5%], N = 585 [19.7%], P = < 0.001 for trend). For patients undergoing valve surgery, median age increased from 59.7 to 66.9 years (P ≤ 0.001) and the proportion of males increased from 67.8% to 72.6% (P = 0.008) from 1999-2003 to 2014-2018. Compared with 1999-2003, associated likelihoods of valve surgery were: Odds ratio (OR) = 1.14 (95% CI: 0.96-1.35), OR = 1.20 (95% CI: 1.02-1.42), and OR = 1.10 (95% CI: 0.93-1.29) in 2004-2008, 2009-2013, and 2014-2018, respectively. 30 day postoperative mortalities were: 12.7%, 12.8%, 6.9%, and 9.7% by calendar periods. Compared with 1999-2003, associated mortality rates were: Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.96 (95% CI: 0.65-1.41), HR = 0.43 (95% CI: 0.28-0.67), and HR = 0.55 (95% CI 0.37-0.83) in 2004-2008, 2009-2013, and 2014-2018, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: On a nationwide scale, 22.5% of patients with IE underwent valve surgery. Patient characteristics changed considerably and use of valve surgery decreased over time. The adjusted likelihood of valve surgery was similar between calendar periods with a trend towards an increase while rates of 30 day postoperative mortality decreased.

Daytime-Dependent Cardioprotection in Cardiac Surgery: A Large Propensity-matched Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: A recent article provided compelling evidence for a cardioprotective effect of afternoon compared with morning operation in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. The present study sought to investigate any daytime-dependent effect on perioperative myocardial injury or clinical outcomes in a large cohort of patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. METHODS: The study identified all patients who underwent nonemergency aortic valve replacement and/or on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting at the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery of Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark between 1999 and 2018. Propensity-score matching was used to create adjusted cohorts for morning and afternoon operation. The primary end point was a composite of 30-day mortality and in-hospital acute myocardial infarction (major adverse cardiac events). Secondary end points were new-onset in-hospital atrial fibrillation, peak creatine kinase-MB levels, and up to 19 years of follow-up for all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The study identified 7148 patients who underwent either aortic valve replacement with or without coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 2806) or isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 4342). Propensity-score matching resulted in comparable cohorts of morning and afternoon operation. The morning and afternoon operation cohorts had no differences in the rates of major adverse cardiac events after both procedures. Similarly, no daytime-dependent variation in the rate of new-onset in-hospital atrial fibrillation, long-term all-cause mortality, or peak creatine kinase-MB levels could be identified. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort study of Danish patients, who underwent either aortic valve replacement and/or coronary artery bypass grafting, the study identified no clinically relevant biorhythm for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion tolerance.

Increased Contractile Function of Human Saphenous Vein Grafts Harvested by "No-Touch" Technique.

Saphenous vein grafts are the most common conduits used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG); however, no more than 60% of vein grafts remain open after 10 years and graft failure is associated with poor clinical outcome. The "no-touch" harvesting technique-where a sheet of perivascular tissue is retained around the vein-improves graft patency to over 80% after 16 years of follow-up, but the mechanism for the improved patency rate is unclear. In this study, we investigated acute functional differences between vein grafts harvested conventionally and by "no-touch" technique and explored the importance of perivascular tissue for reducing surgical trauma, minimizing excessive distension, and releasing vasoactive paracrine factors. Segments of human saphenous veins were obtained from CABG surgery and their functional properties investigated by isometric and isobaric myography. We found a broad diameter-tension relationship for human saphenous veins, with peak capacity for active tension development at diameters corresponding to transmural pressures around 60 mmHg. Across the investigated transmural pressure range between 10 and 120 mmHg, maximal tension development was higher for "no-touch" compared to conventionally harvested saphenous veins. Contractile responses to serotonin, noradrenaline, and depolarization induced with elevated extracellular [K+] were significantly larger for saphenous veins harvested by "no-touch" compared to conventional technique. Conventional vein grafts are routinely pressurized manually in order to test for leaks; however, avoiding this distension procedure did not change the acute contractile function of the conventionally excised saphenous veins. In contrast, even though surgical removal of perivascular tissue during conventional harvesting was associated with a substantial decrease in force development, removal of perivascular tissue by careful dissection under a stereomicroscope only marginally affected contractile responses of veins harvested by "no-touch" technique. In conclusion, we show that saphenous veins harvested by "no-touch" technique have greater contractile capacity than veins harvested by conventional technique. The different capacity for smooth muscle contraction is not due to vasoactive substances released by the perivascular tissue. Instead, we propose that the larger tension development of saphenous veins harvested by "no-touch" technique reflects reduced surgical damage, which may have long-term consequences that contribute to the superior graft patency.

One-year clinical and angiographic results of hybrid coronary revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 1-year clinical and angiographic results after hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) combining off-pump left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafting through an inferior J-hemisternotomy with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: Prospective, single-arm clinical feasibility study including 100 consecutive patients with multivessel disease undergoing staged HCR. The primary endpoint was the major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rate at 1 year. Secondary endpoints included 1-year all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and angiographic graft and stent patency. RESULTS: One-year clinical follow-up data were available in all patients. The primary endpoint was met by 20 patients (20%). Individual endpoints were as follows: 1 death due to heart failure; 1 stroke, 2 procedure-related myocardial infarctions; and 1 spontaneous myocardial infarction during follow-up. A total of 16 patients underwent repeat revascularization: 5 surgical reinterventions during the index hospitalization for angiographically suspected internal mammary artery graft dysfunction, and 3 repeat PCIs. Only 1 patient had evidence of ischemia. After discharge, PCI was performed in 6 patients who had recurrent angina, and in 2 asymptomatic patients who had angiographic restenosis. At the 1-year angiographic follow-up, 87 of 89 (98%) patients had patent internal mammary artery grafts. Angiographic restenosis was present in 10 of 100 lesions treated by PCI. CONCLUSIONS: Angiographically controlled HCR was associated with a high repeat revascularization rate. The 1-year 98% LIMA-graft patency rate, and low risk of death and stroke, seem promising for the long-term outcome. Non-left anterior descending coronary artery lesion revascularization remains a challenge.

Feasibility and early safety of hybrid coronary revascularisation combining off-pump coronary surgery through J-hemisternotomy with percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIMS: To assess the procedural feasibility and early safety of hybrid coronary revascularisation, combining off-pump left internal mammary artery grafting to the left descending coronary artery (LAD) through an inferior J-hemisternotomy (JOPCAB) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of non-LAD lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 100 patients with multivessel coronary artery disease involving LAD were included in this prospective registry. Hybrid revascularisation was performed by JOPCAB, either prior to PCI (89%) or following PCI (11%). In 96% of the cases, the procedure was carried out according to the preoperative strategy and without perioperative (24 hours) major adverse cardiac or cerebral events. At one month, we observed no deaths, one stroke and two procedure-related myocardial infarctions. Five patients underwent reoperation for graft dysfunction, four of whom were identified by angiography without prior signs of ischaemia. Reoperation due to bleeding was necessary in six patients, and nine patients received red blood cell transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Our prospective registry documented promising procedural feasibility and early safety of coronary hybrid revascularisation combining JOPCAB with PCI. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01496664.

Storage time of allogeneic red blood cells is associated with risk of severe postoperative infection after coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: The storage time of allogeneic red blood cells (RBCs) has been linked with the risk of severe postoperative infections following cardiac surgery. However, existing data are sparse and inconsistent. We therefore examined the association between the age of transfused RBCs and development of severe postoperative infection following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a large population-based cohort study. METHODS: The study included patients undergoing CABG with or without concomitant cardiac surgery between June 2003 and July 2008 in the North and Central Denmark regions. Data on demography, perioperative variables, allogeneic blood transfusion and severe postoperative infections (deep sternal wound infection, bacteremia or septicemia) were retrieved from medical databases and medical records. We used logistic regression analyses to compute the crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between storage time of transfused RBCs and the risk of severe infection. RESULTS: A total of 4240 patients were included in the final analyses, and 1748 of these patients (41%) were transfused with RBCs. Among transfused patients, 953 were exclusively transfused with RBC stored for < 14 days and 548 were exclusively transfused with RBC stored for ≥ 14 days. Severe infection was identified in 165 patients (3.9%). The adjusted ORs for severe infection among all transfused patients and patients transfused with RBCs stored exclusively for either < 14 days or ≥ 14 days were 1.6 (95% CI: 0.9-2.8), 1.1 (95% CI: 0.6-2.1), and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.2-4.2), respectively, when compared with non-transfused patients. There was a dose-response relationship between the number of transfused RBC units and the risk of severe infection among patients exclusively transfused with RBCs stored for ≥ 14 days. CONCLUSION: Although the risk of possible confounding could not be eliminated entirely in this observational study, the findings add further support for the hypothesis that storage time of RBCs is positively associated with the risk of transfusion-related severe postoperative infection in patients undergoing CABG.

Emerging role of Candida in deep sternal wound infection.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the overall incidence, prognosis, and risk factors for microbiologically documented Candida deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) after cardiac operations. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed at Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, from January 1999 through November 2006. Included were all 83 of 4222 cardiac surgical patients with microbiologically documented DSWI requiring surgical revision. Various potential risk factors in patients with Candida DSWI were compared with those of patients with non-Candida DSWI. We compared markers of morbidity, in-hospital mortality, and 1-year mortality to evaluate the prognosis of the disease. RESULTS: DSWI developed in 2% of all patients, of whom, 17 (20.5%) had Candida DSWI, and 66 (79.5%) had non-Candida etiology. Candida was the primary causative organism in 11 of 17 Candida DSWI cases. No Candida DSWI was found during the first 3 years of the study. In-hospital and 1-year mortality were doubled in patients with Candida DSWI compared with patients with non-Candida DSWI. Candida DSWI was associated with significantly longer stay in the intensive care unit and need of prolonged mechanical ventilation. Risk factors for Candida etiology were Candida colonization in tracheal secretions or urine and reoperation before diagnosis of DSWI. CONCLUSIONS: Candida was a frequent causative agent of DSWI in our series and was associated with a very high morbidity and mortality. Cardiothoracic patients on mechanical ventilation when colonized with Candida were identified as a high-risk population for subsequent development of Candida DSWI.