Data-driven coaching to improve statewide outcomes in CABG: before and after interventional study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of quality improvement initiatives program (QIP) on coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) remains scarce, despite improved outcomes in other surgical areas. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a package of QIP on mortality rates among patients undergoing CABG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study utilized data from the multicenter database Registro Paulista de Cirurgia Cardiovascular II (REPLICCAR II), spanning from July 2017 to June 2019. Data from 4018 isolated CABG adult patients were collected and analyzed in three phases: before-implementation, implementation, and after-implementation of the intervention (which comprised QIP training for the hospital team). Propensity Score Matching was used to balance the groups of 2170 patients each for a comparative analysis of the following outcomes: reoperation, deep sternal wound infection/mediastinitis ≤30 days, cerebrovascular accident, acute kidney injury, ventilation time >24 h, length of stay <6 days, length of stay >14 days, morbidity and mortality, and operative mortality. A multiple regression model was constructed to predict mortality outcomes. RESULTS: Following implementation, there was a significant reduction of operative mortality (61.7%, P =0.046), as well as deep sternal wound infection/mediastinitis ( P <0.001), sepsis ( P =0.002), ventilation time in hours ( P <0.001), prolonged ventilation time ( P =0.009), postoperative peak blood glucose ( P <0.001), total length of hospital stay ( P <0.001). Additionally, there was a greater use of arterial grafts, including internal thoracic ( P <0.001) and radial ( P =0.038), along with a higher rate of skeletonized dissection of the internal thoracic artery. CONCLUSIONS: QIP was associated with a 61.7% reduction in operative mortality following CABG. Although not all complications exhibited a decline, the reduction in mortality suggests a possible decrease in failure to rescue during the after-implementation period.

Mindfulness-Based Intervention Effect on the Psychophysiological Marker of Self-Regulation in Women With Endometriosis-Related Chronic Pain.

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease that involves a broad biopsychosocial compromise with the potential to create a negative vicious cycle. Despite the complexity of factors influencing women's improvement, most interventions investigated target just the peripheral nociceptive sources of endometriosis-related pain. An alternative is intervening in self-regulation, which can potentially influence multiple domains of the illness experience. The present study examines the effect of a brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention (bMBI) on attention and autonomic nervous system regulation in women with endometriosis-related pain. Also, explore the interaction between these self-regulation domains and the affective pain dimension. An exploratory analysis of the secondary outcomes of a pilot randomized controlled trial was performed. The vagally-mediated Heart Rate Variability (vmHRV) at rest, cognitive stress, and recovery was employed to measure autonomic regulation. The Flanker and Stroop tasks were used to estimate the attention domains. Results showed that bMBI (n = 26) significantly improved Flanker accuracy and Flanker and Stroop reaction time compared to the control group (n = 28). bMBI significantly increased vmHRV at rest and recovery after cognitive stress. Attention mediated the bMBI effect on affective pain improvement. Results suggest that bMBI improves self-regulation domains with the potential to develop a broad biopsychosocial benefit in the endometriosis context. PERSPECTIVE: This article demonstrates the positive impact of a brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention on attention and parasympathetic regulation in women suffering from endometriosis-related pain. This mindfulness-induced self-regulation improvement can benefit affective pain and potentially multiple psychophysiological processes relevant to endometriosis.

The arrival of COVID-19 in Brazil and the impact on coronary artery bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: This study analyzed the arrival of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Brazil and its impact on coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. METHODS: Patients undergoing isolated CABG in six hospitals in Brazil were divided into two periods: pre-COVID-19 (March-May 2019, N = 468) and COVID-19 era (March-May 2020, N = 182). Perioperative data were included on a dedicated REDCap platform. Patients with clinical and tomographic criteria and/or PCR (+) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were considered COVID-19 (+). Logistic regression analysis was performed to create a multiple predictive model for mortality after CABG in COVID-19 era. RESULTS: Compared to 2019, in 2020, CABG surgeries had a 2.8-fold increased mortality risk (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1-7.6, p = .041), patients who evolved with COVID-19 had a 11-fold increased mortality risk (95% CI: 2.2-54.9, p < .003), rates of morbidities and readmission to the intensive care unit. The surgical volume was decreased by 60%. The model to predict mortality after CABG in the COVID-19 era was validated with good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow = 1.43) and discrimination (receiver operating characteristic = 0.78). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse impact on mortality, morbidity and volume of patients undergoing CABG.

Late clinical outcomes of myocardial hybrid revascularization versus coronary artery bypass grafting for complex triple-vessel disease: Long-term follow-up of the randomized MERGING clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: This article aimed to compare the outcomes after hybrid revascularization with conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. BACKGROUND: The concept of hybrid coronary revascularization combines the advantages of CABG and percutaneous coronary intervention to improve the treatment of patients with complex multivessel disease. METHODS: The Myocardial hybrid revascularization versus coronary artERy bypass GraftING for complex triple-vessel disease-MERGING study is a pilot randomized trial that allocated 60 patients with complex triple-vessel disease to treatment with hybrid revascularization or conventional CABG (2:1 ratio). The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned repeat revascularization at 2 years. RESULTS: Clinical and anatomical characteristics were similar between groups. After a mean follow-up of 802 ± 500 days, the primary endpoint rate was 19.3% in the hybrid arm and 5.9% in the CABG arm (p = NS). The incidence of unplanned revascularization increased over time in both groups, reaching 14.5 versus 5.9% in the hybrid and in the CABG groups, respectively (p = .4). Of note, in the hybrid group, there were no reinterventions driven by the occurrence of stent restenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid myocardial was feasible but associated with increasing rates of major adverse cardiovascular events during 2 years of clinical follow-up, while the control group treated with conventional surgery presented with low rates of complications during the same period. In conclusion, before more definitive data arise, hybrid revascularization should be applied with careful attention in practice, following a selective case-by-case indication.

Protease inhibitor effects on prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and human papillomavirus-related lesions.

AIM: Antiretrovirals of the protease inhibitor (PI) class tend to achieve low concentrations in biological fluids. This study aimed to analyze possible changes in the vaginal microbiome and frequency of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV)-DNA and HPV-related lesions associated with the use of PI in antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: Eighty-eight women with human immunodeficiency virus infection were divided in two groups: ART with PI and without PI. All the participants underwent anamnesis with demographic data collection. The total DNA, used as the template in the polymerase chain reaction-based assays for the detection of HPV-DNA, was extracted from cervical samples during cervical cytopathology. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups with respect to HPV-related lesions. Despite the higher prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in the PI group (33.96% vs 17.14%), the difference was insignificant when considering all women (P = 0.066). When women with a detectable viral load and a CD4+ T-cell count <200 were excluded in both groups, BV was found to be more prevalent in the PI group (odds ratio, 3.349; 95% confidence interval, 1.113-11.41, P = 0.049). No associations were found between BV and age, condom use, cervical HPV, time with current ART regimen, unprotected receptive anal intercourse and cervical HPV-related lesions. CONCLUSION: The use of PI did not alter the frequencies of HPV-DNA and HPV-related lesions. However, an increased frequency of BV was found in women using PI after excluding women with a detectable viral load and a CD4+ T-cell count of <200.

Sexual function in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis.

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a benign condition that causes pain and infertility. Sexual dysfunction, particularly deep dyspareunia, is common in patients with endometriosis and interferes with quality of life and conjugal satisfaction. AIM: The study aims to assess sexual function in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis. METHOD: Fifty-seven women diagnosed with deep infiltrating endometriosis were recruited from Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto (HUPE) between July and December 2011. The control group comprised 38 healthy women recruited at the HUPE family planning clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcomes are full-scale and individual domain scores on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated questionnaire for functional assessment of sexual function in women. RESULTS: Patients with endometriosis had more pain in intercourse than controls, which correlates with lower scores in the FSFI pain domain. However, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in overall (full-scale) FSFI scores. CONCLUSION: Women with endometriosis exhibit significant dysfunction in the pain domain of the FSFI questionnaire, but this finding was not sufficient to affect the overall sexual function.

Há espaço para o tratamento endovascular nas dissecções crônicas da aorta descendente? / Is the endovascular procedure an option for treatment of cronic type B aortic dissections?

OBJETIVO: Questões relativas a quais pacientes/doenças que efetivamente deveriam ser submetidos ao tratamento endovascular ainda geram controvérsias. O objetivo deste trabalho visa a questionar o tratamento endovascular nas dissecções crônicas tipo B de Stanford. MÉTODOS: No período de 2003 a 2006, 11 pacientes portadores de dissecção crônica da aorta tipo B de Stanford com dilatação somente no tórax (diâmetro > 5,5cm), foram submetidos à colocação de prótese endovascular autoexpansível pela artéria femoral. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos à angiotomografia de controle com 6 meses, 1 ano e após, anualmente, com o intuito de avaliar a presença de fluxo na falsa luz e estudar a evolução dos diâmetros da aorta torácica descendente e abdominal no decorrer do tempo. Para esta análise foram utilizados os testes Anova de duas vias para medidas repetidas e o qui-quadrado com o programa SPSS 13. RESULTADOS: Não houve mortalidade hospitalar. Nenhum paciente apresentou endoleak imediatamente após a operação. Durante o período de seguimento médio de 28 meses/paciente, não houve óbitos, um paciente foi submetido à substituição da aorta tóraco-abdominal e dois aguardam esta mesma intervenção. A endoprótese interrompeu o fluxo na falsa luz no tórax em 72,7 por cento dos pacientes e, no abdome, somente em 18,2 por cento, porém isto não implicou na redução dos diâmetros da aorta torácica nem abdominal. CONCLUSÃO: O tratamento endovascular nas dissecções crônicas tipo B de Stanford parece não ser suficiente para tratar esses pacientes no curto/médio prazo, apesar do tamanho reduzido da amostra estudada.

OBJECTIVE: Questions regarding the specific patient/disease that should be submitted to the endovascular procedure still remain unclear. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the endovascular treatment in chronic type B aortic dissections. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2006, 11 patients with chronic type B aortic dissection were submitted to endovascular procedure through femoral artery. All of them were monitored with CT within 6 months, 1 year and afterwars anually. We prospectively evaluated false lumen patency and thoracic and abdominal aortic diameters in each time point. The data comparisons were made using Anova and chi-square tests with SPSS 13. RESULTS: The endovascular stent-graft deployment was technically successful for all patients, with no hospital mortality. During the follow-up period the false lumen flows remained persistent in the thorax in 27.3 percent of the patients and in the abdomen in 81.8 percent. However, in all patients, in both segments, the aorta diameter was not significantly changed in size and shape. CONCLUSION: Despite the small number of studied patients, the endovascular procedure for chronic type B aortic dissections does not appear to be an option for the treatment of these patients.

Is the endovascular procedure an option for treatment of cronic type B aortic dissections?

OBJECTIVE: Questions regarding the specific patient/disease that should be submitted to the endovascular procedure still remain unclear. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the endovascular treatment in chronic type B aortic dissections. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2006, 11 patients with chronic type B aortic dissection were submitted to endovascular procedure through femoral artery. All of them were monitored with CT within 6 months, 1 year and afterwars anually. We prospectively evaluated false lumen patency and thoracic and abdominal aortic diameters in each time point. The data comparisons were made using Anova and chi-square tests with SPSS 13. RESULTS: The endovascular stent-graft deployment was technically successful for all patients, with no hospital mortality. During the follow-up period the false lumen flows remained persistent in the thorax in 27.3% of the patients and in the abdomen in 81.8%. However, in all patients, in both segments, the aorta diameter was not significantly changed in size and shape. CONCLUSION: Despite the small number of studied patients, the endovascular procedure for chronic type B aortic dissections does not appear to be an option for the treatment of these patients.