Effect of digital tools in outpatient cardiac rehabilitation including home training-results of the EPICURE study.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and are partly caused by modifiable risk factors. Cardiac rehabilitation addresses several of these modifiable risk factors, such as physical inactivity and reduced exercise capacity. However, despite its proven short-term merits, long-term adherence to healthy lifestyle changes is disappointing. With regards to exercise training, it has been shown that rehabilitation supplemented by a) home-based exercise training and b) supportive digital tools can improve adherence. Methods: In our multi-center study (ClincalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04458727), we analyzed the effect of supportive digital tools like digital diaries and/or wearables such as smart watches, activity trackers, etc. on exercise capacity during cardiac rehabilitation. Patients after completion of phase III out-patient cardiac rehabilitation, which included a 3 to 6-months lasting home-training phase, were recruited in five cardiac rehabilitation centers in Austria. Retrospective rehabilitation data were analyzed, and additional data were generated via patient questionnaires. Results: 107 patients who did not use supportive tools and 50 patients using supportive tools were recruited. Already prior to phase III rehabilitation, patients with supportive tools showed higher exercise capacity (Pmax = 186 ± 53 W) as compared to patients without supportive tools (142 ± 41 W, p < 0.001). Both groups improved their Pmax, significantly during phase III rehabilitation, and despite higher baseline Pmax of patients with supportive tools their Pmax improved significantly more (ΔPmax = 19 ± 18 W) than patients without supportive tools (ΔPmax = 9 ± 17 W, p < 0.005). However, after adjusting for baseline differences, the difference in ΔPmax did no longer reach statistical significance. Discussion: Therefore, our data did not support the hypothesis that the additional use of digital tools like digital diaries and/or wearables during home training leads to further improvement in Pmax during and after phase III cardiac rehabilitation. Further studies with larger sample size, follow-up examinations and a randomized, controlled design are required to assess merits of digital interventions during cardiac rehabilitation.

Transesophageal echocardiography-guided versus fluoroscopy-guided patent foramen ovale closure: A single center registry.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is conventionally performed under continuous transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) guidance. We aimed to evaluate whether a simplified procedural approach, including pure fluoroscopy-guidance and final TEE control, as well as an aimed 'next-day-discharge' is comparable with the conventional TEE-guided procedure in terms of periprocedural and intermediate-term outcomes. METHODS: All patients who underwent a PFO closure at our center between 2010 and 2022 were retrospectively included. Prior to June 2019 cases were performed with continuous TEE guidance (TEE-guided group). Since June 2019, only pure fluoroscopy-guided PFO closures have been performed with TEE insertion and control just prior to device release (fluoroscopy-guided group). We analyzed procedural aspects, as well as long term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes. RESULTS: In total 291 patients were included in the analysis: 197 in the TEE-guided group and 94 in the fluoroscopy-guided group. Fluoroscopy-guided procedures were markedly shorter (48 ± 20 min vs. 25 ± 9 min; p < .01). There was no difference in procedural complications, including death, major bleeding, device dislodgement, stroke or clinically relevant peripheral embolization between the two groups (.5% vs. 0%; p = .99). Hospital stay was also shorter with the simplified approach (2.5 ± 1.6 vs. 3.5 ± 1.2 days; p < .01), allowing 85% same-day discharges during the last 12 months of observation period. At 6 ± 3 months echocardiographic follow-up a residual leakage was described in 8% of the TEE-guided cases and 2% of the fluoroscopy-guided cases (p = .08). CONCLUSION: While a complete TEE-free PFO closure might have potential procedural risks, our approach of pure fluoroscopy-guided with a brisk final TEE check seems to be advantageous in terms of procedural aspects with no sign of any acute or intermediate-term hazard and it could offer an equitable compromise between the two worlds: a complete TEE procedure and a procedure without any TEE.

Short term dynamics of the sputum microbiome among COPD patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by incompletely reversible airflow obstruction. The complexity of the lung microbial community in COPD patients has been highlighted in recent years. Evidence suggests that transplantation, medications, age, and disease severity influence microbial community membership. However, the dynamics of the lung microbiome in stable COPD patients remain poorly understood. In this study, we completed a longitudinal 16S ribosomal RNA survey of the lung microbiome on replicate sputum samples collected from 4 former smokers with COPD (Stage 2) within a 2-day time period. Samples from each individual over the two-day period were similar based on α-diversity, principle component analysis and taxonomy at the phyla and genera level. Sputum samples from COPD patients were also collected between 2-9 months of follow-up. Data suggest an increased variability of the sputum microbiota when comparing samples collected ≤ 3 months compared to those collected ≥ 4 months; however, no statistically significant shifts in the abundance (>2-fold) of taxa between the two time points was observed. Bacterial composition and the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) remained similar over time. Results from this study suggest that the sputum microbiome is relatively stable in clinically stable COPD patients (Stage 2). This study furthers our understanding of the dynamics of the lung microbiome in COPD patients.

Investigation of three outbreaks of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea in Germany in 2016 demonstrates age dependent differences in the development of humoral immune response.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) has reemerged in Europe since 2014. Characterized by a rapid onset of diarrhea in pigs of all ages, morbidity can reach up to 100% whereas mortality is variable. The virus strains involved in the recent European outbreaks all cluster together with US strains (S INDEL) that lead to less severe clinical signs. In this study, fattening pigs and suckling piglets (n = 105) on farms with no prior PED history were monitored after an acute outbreak of the disease, caused by an S INDEL strain of PED virus (PEDV). For diagnostic investigations in the affected farms, real time RT-PCR was performed to detect PEDV RNA in individually taken fecal samples, and two commercial ELISA kits, both based on the N protein of PEDV, were used to detect IgG in serum samples of pigs experiencing acute signs of the disease. PEDV RNA could be detected in fecal samples up to 14 days after initial sampling. Comparing both ELISAs by Cohens Kappa showed substantial agreement (κ = 0,771). Antibodies were detectable in all fattening pigs (100%) within 10 days after the occurrence of first clinical signs and remained detectable for about two months at least in 20.6% (farm 1) and 45.7% (farm 2) of the animals, respectively. In contrast, only 18 of 34 (52.9%) suckling piglets seroconverted. Although, PEDV RNA was found in fecal samples of all piglets, 13 piglets did not demonstrate antibodies at any sampling day. PCR to detect PEDV RNA in fecal samples seems to be a reliable diagnostic tool during and after the acute outbreak. In the present study, IgG ELISA kits proved to be a feasible diagnostic tool, but age dependent differences in detection rate and persistence of antibodies need to be considered.

Interaction of CD14 haplotypes and soluble CD14 on pulmonary function in agricultural workers.

BACKGROUND: Agricultural environments are contaminated with organic dusts containing bacterial components. Chronic inhalation of organic dusts is implicated in respiratory diseases. CD14 is a critical receptor for gram-negative lipopolysaccharide; however, its association with respiratory disease among agricultural workers is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if serum soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels are associated with lung function among agricultural workers and if this association is modified by genetic variants in CD14. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 584 veterans with >2 years of farming experience and that were between the ages of 40 and 80 years. Participants underwent spirometry and were genotyped for four tagging CD14 polymorphisms (CD14/-2838, rs2569193; CD14/-1720, rs2915863; CD14/-651, rs5744455; and CD14/-260, rs2569190). Serum sCD14 was assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: Subjects were 98% white males with a mean age 64.5 years. High soluble CD14 levels (> median sCD14) were associated decreased lung function (FEV1/FVC, p = 0.011; % predicted FEV1, p = 0.03). When stratified by COPD (yes/no) and smoking status (ever/never), high sCD14 levels (> median sCD14) were associated with low lung function among ever smokers with COPD (% predicted FEV1, padj = 0.0008; FEV1/FVC, padj = 0.0002). A similar trend was observed for never smokers with COPD; however, results did not reach statistical significance due to small sample size. There was a significant sCD14 x COPD/smoking interaction with lung function (% predicted FEV1, pinter = 0.0498; FEV1/FVC, pinter = 0.011). Regression models were adjusted for age, body mass index, education, sex, race and years worked on a farm. No association was found between CD14 polymorphisms/haplotypes (CD14/-2838; CD14/-1720; CD14/-651; CD14/-260) and sCD14 levels. The final model included the variables sCD14 and haplotypes and a haplotype x sCD14 interaction term. Individuals with the GTTG haplotype (CD14/-2838 → CD14/-260) and high sCD14 levels (> median sCD14) had on average 6.94 lower % predicted FEV1 than individuals with the GCCA haplotype and low sCD14 levels (≤ median sCD14, padj = 0.03). CONCLUSION: CD14 haplotypes and sCD14 are important mediators of lung function among those with COPD in this occupationally-exposed population.

A principal factor analysis to characterize agricultural exposures among Nebraska veterans.

Agricultural workers are at an increased risk of developing chronic respiratory disorders. Accurate estimation of long-term agricultural exposures based on questionnaires has been used to improve the validity of epidemiologic investigations and subsequent evaluation of the association between agricultural exposures and chronic diseases. Our aim was to use principal factor analysis (PFA) to distill exposure data into essential variables characterizing long-term agricultural exposures. This is a cross-sectional study of veterans between the ages of 40 and 80 years and who worked on a farm for ≥2 years. Participant characteristics were: 98.1% were white males with a mean age 65±8 (SD) years and 39.8% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The final model included four factors and explained 16.6% of the variance in the exposure data. Factor 1 was a heterogeneous factor; however, Factor 2 was exclusively composed of exposure to livestock such as hogs, dairy and poultry. Factor 3 included exposures from jobs on or off the farm such as wood dust, mineral dust, asbestos and spray paint. Crop exposure loaded exclusively in Factor 4 and included lifetime hours of exposure and maximum number of acres farmed in the participants' lifetime. The factors in the final model were interpretable and consistent with farming practices.

Shotgun pyrosequencing metagenomic analyses of dusts from swine confinement and grain facilities.

Inhalation of agricultural dusts causes inflammatory reactions and symptoms such as headache, fever, and malaise, which can progress to chronic airway inflammation and associated diseases, e.g. asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Although in many agricultural environments feed particles are the major constituent of these dusts, the inflammatory responses that they provoke are likely attributable to particle-associated bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, and viruses. In this study, we performed shotgun pyrosequencing metagenomic analyses of DNA from dusts from swine confinement facilities or grain elevators, with comparisons to dusts from pet-free households. DNA sequence alignment showed that 19% or 62% of shotgun pyrosequencing metagenomic DNA sequence reads from swine facility or household dusts, respectively, were of swine or human origin, respectively. In contrast only 2% of such reads from grain elevator dust were of mammalian origin. These metagenomic shotgun reads of mammalian origin were excluded from our analyses of agricultural dust microbiota. The ten most prevalent bacterial taxa identified in swine facility compared to grain elevator or household dust were comprised of 75%, 16%, and 42% gram-positive organisms, respectively. Four of the top five swine facility dust genera were assignable (Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium, ranging from 4% to 19% relative abundance). The relative abundances of these four genera were lower in dust from grain elevators or pet-free households. These analyses also highlighted the predominance in swine facility dust of Firmicutes (70%) at the phylum level, Clostridia (44%) at the Class level, and Clostridiales at the Order level (41%). In summary, shotgun pyrosequencing metagenomic analyses of agricultural dusts show that they differ qualitatively and quantitatively at the level of microbial taxa present, and that the bioinformatic analyses used for such studies must be carefully designed to avoid the potential contribution of non-microbial DNA, e.g. from resident mammals.