A prospective cohort study of dynamic cell-free DNA elevation during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are associated with a systemic inflammatory reaction that occasionally induces a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the dysregulated host response to the damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In severe inflammation, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and histones are released by inflammatory cells and damaged tissue and act as DAMPs. We sought to characterize the changes in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels during CPB. Primary outcomes were renal failure, ventilation time (>18 hr), length of stay (LOS) in the intensive care unit (ICU) (>48hr), hospital LOS (>15 days), and death. We looked for associations with blood tests and comparison to standard scores. In a prospective cohort study, we enrolled 71 patients undergoing non-emergent coronary artery bypass grafting. Blood was drawn at baseline, 20 and 40 minutes on CPB, after cross-clamp removal, and 30 minutes after chest closure. cfDNA was measured by our fast fluorescent method. Baseline cfDNA levels [796 (656-1063) ng/ml] increased during surgery, peaked after cross-clamp removal [2403 (1981-3357) ng/ml] and returned to baseline at recovery. The difference in cfDNA from 20 to 40 minutes on CPB (ΔcfDNA 40-20) inversely correlated with peripheral vascular disease (PVD), longer ventilation time, and longer ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of ΔcfDNA 40-20 for long ICU-LOS (>48hr) was with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.738 (p = 0.022). ROC AUC of ΔcfDNA 40-20 to long Hospital LOS (>15 days) was 0.787 (p = 0.006). Correction for time on CPB in a multivariate logistic regression model improved ROC-AUC to 0.854 (p = 0.003) and suggests that ΔcfDNA 40-20 is an independent risk factor. To conclude, of measured parameters, including STS and Euroscore, the predictive power of ΔcfDNA 40-20 was the highest. Thus, measurement of ΔcfDNA 40-20 may enable early monitoring of patients at higher risk. Further studies on the mechanism behind the negative association of ΔcfDNA 40-20 with PVD and outcomes are warranted.

Penetrating pulmonary vein laceration following blunt chest trauma.

Flail chest is a common injury in blunt trauma which is usually treated with analgesia, oxygen, and other conservative measures. In more severe cases mechanical ventilation and surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) may be warranted. Penetrating injury to the heart or great vessels due to rib fractures however, is much less common. Here we present a 33 year old male that was admitted to the Emergency department (ED) after a horse riding accident, demonstrating severe shock. Emergency computerized tomography scan showed multiple bilateral displaced rib fractures, Left hemothorax and possibly a penetrating injury to the left side of the heart by one of the ribs. Notably, no significant pericardial effusion was demonstrated. In addition, a grade V splenic injury was diagnosed. A Joined thoracic and abdominal emergent surgical treatment was successfully carried out and the patient survived and fully recovered.

Deep Sternal Wound Infections After Cardiac Surgery: A New Australian Tertiary Centre Experience.

BACKGROUND: Deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) after cardiac surgery impose a significant burden to patient outcomes and health care costs. The objective of this study is to identify risk factors, microbiological characteristics and protective factors for deep sternal wound infections following cardiac surgery in an Australian hospital. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 1,902 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at Fiona Stanley Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Western Australia from February 2015 to April 2019. Patients were grouped into having either deep sternal wound infections or no wound infections. RESULTS: Of 1,902 patients, 26 (1.4%) patients had DSWI. On multivariate analysis, male gender was associated with DSWI with an adjusted odds ratio of 7.390 (95% CI 1.189-45.918, p=0.032). Increased body mass index (BMI) had an odds ratio of 1.101 (95% 1.03-1.18, p=0.008). Increased length of stay (LOS) had an odds ratio of 1.05 (95% CI 1.02-1.08, p=0.002). Left main disease had an odds ratio of 3.076 (95% CI 1.204-7.86, p=0.019). The presence of hypercholesterolaemia had an odds ratio of 0.043 (95% CI 0.009-0.204, p<0.001). Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were the most common organisms found in deep sternal wound infections (23.1% and 26.9% respectively). Polymicrobial growth occurred in 19.2% of patients. One gram of topical cephazolin was applied in 315 patients. None of these patients developed a deep sternal wound infection (p=0.022). CONCLUSION: In a large Australian tertiary centre, male gender, increased BMI, presence of left main coronary artery disease, and increased length of hospital stay are significantly associated with the risk of deep sternal wound infections. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are common organisms in deep sternal wound infections. Topical antibiotics such as cephazolin are useful in preventing deep sternal wound infections. The presence of hypercholesterolaemia is a protective factor and we hypothesise that this is due to long-term statin use.

Concomitant grafting of both postbifurcation internal thoracic artery branches.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the clinical outcome and graft patency after concomitant grafting of both postbifurcation internal thoracic artery (ITA) branches. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2013, 17 patients (14 men; mean [SD] age, 60 [9.3] years) underwent skeletonized bifurcated ITA grafting. Respective targets were restricted to non-left anterior descending (LAD) area. In all patients, a complementary standard ITA was used to graft the LAD artery. Graft patency was assessed by standard coronary angiography or serial multidetector computed tomography. RESULTS: Of the bifurcated conduits, 94% were right ITA. Respective right ITA target sets were first and second obtuse marginal arteries (M1-M2) (n = 12), ramus-M1 (n = 2), and distal right coronary artery-posterior descending artery (n = 2). Right ITAs were mobilized retroaortic (via the transverse sinus) in 14 patients (82%) (to circumflex artery targets). Circumflex artery targets comprised 88.2% of all anastomoses (30/34). There were no early mortalities, myocardial infarctions, or hypoperfusion syndromes. During median follow-up of 44 months (range, 3-63), there was no late mortality. Overall reintervention rate was 11.7%, and bifurcated ITA-related reintervention rate was 5.8%. At 5 years, freedom from major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular event related to bifurcated ITA respective territory was 87% (Kaplan-Meier). Coronary imaging was achieved in 76% of the patients (elective multidetector computed tomography, n = 9; symptoms-directed coronary catheterization, n = 4). Bifurcation branch patency rate was 88.4% (23/26) at a median of 3.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Grafting both postbifurcation ITA branches is technically feasible and may be selectively considered. Current observations are valid for skeletonized conduits and limited to non-LAD targets. These preliminary findings should be corroborated by larger data sets.

Pneumonia during pregnancy: radiological characteristics, predisposing factors and pregnancy outcomes.

UNLABELLED: To establish radiological characteristics of pneumonia during pregnancy and to investigate pregnancy outcomes in patients hospitalised due to pneumonia. STUDY DESIGN: A population-based study comparing all pregnancies of women with and without pneumonia between was conducted. The diagnosis of pneumonia was confirmed by chest radiograph. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed in order to control for confounders. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 181,765 deliveries, of which 160 were hospitalised due to pneumonia. The most common site of pneumonia was the left lower lobe (53.4%), followed by the right lower lobe (26.3%) and right middle lobe (8.3%); 9.8% were complicated with pleural effusion. Using a multivariable analysis, pneumonia was significantly associated with placental abruption (OR = 4.2; 95% CI 1.9-9.1), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR; OR = 3.7; 95% CI 2.1-6.6), previous caesarean deliveries (CDs; OR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.8-3.7) and severe preeclampsia (OR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.2-5.7). Higher rates of low Apgar scores at 1 min (26.3% vs. 5.9%, <50.001) and 5 min (10.6% vs. 2.6%, p < 0.001) were noted in the pneumonia group. No significant differences were noted between the groups regarding labour induction (23.8% vs. 27.9%, p = 0.240), non-progressive labour second stage (2.5% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.387) and post-partum haemorrhage (1.3% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.224). Furthermore, patients with pneumonia were significantly associated with preterm delivery (PTD,537 weeks) (35.6% vs. 7.7%, p50.001) and perinatal mortality (7.5% vs. 1.3%, p50.001). Pneumonia was found as an independent risk factor for PTD (OR = 5.4, 95% CI 3.8-7.7, p < 0.001), in a multivariable model controlling for IUGR, placental abruption and preeclampsia Controlling for possible confounding variables such as IUGR, gestational age at delivery, placental abruption and maternal age, using another multivariable model with perinatal mortality as the outcome variable, pneumonia was not identified as an independent risk factor for perinatal mortality (weighted OR = 0.9; 95% CI 0.4-1.9; p = 0.718). CONCLUSION: Maternal pneumonia is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and specifically it is an independent risk factor for PTD.

Reduction of cPLA2alpha overexpression: an efficient anti-inflammatory therapy for collagen-induced arthritis.

Cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha (cPLA2) plays an important role in the development of several inflammatory diseases. The aim of the present study is to determine whether inhibition of cPLA2 expression, using specific antisense oligonucleotides against cPLA2 (antisense), is efficient in reducing inflammation after its development. Two mouse models of inflammation were included in the study: thioglicolate peritonitis and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). The antisense was found to be specific and efficient in inhibiting cPLA2 expression and NADPH oxidase activity ex vivo in peritoneal phagocytes. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry analysis showed a significant elevation in cPLA2 expression in the inflamed joints of collagen-induced arthritis mice localized in cell infiltrate, chondrocytes and the surrounding skin and skeletal muscle. Similarly, the cPLA2 metabolite, leukotriene B4, accumulated in the peritoneal cavity of mice with peritonitis. Inhibition of elevated cPLA2 expression after development of inflammation by intravenous administration of antisense resulted in a dramatic reduction in inflammation and a significant reduction in neutrophils recruitment to the site of inflammation in both mouse models of inflammation. Our results demonstrate the critical role of cPLA2 for the duration of inflammation and suggest that inhibition of cPLA2 expression by antisense oligonucleotides may serve as an efficient treatment of inflammatory diseases.

[Maternal obesity as a risk factor for complications in pregnancy, labor and pregnancy outcomes].

Obesity is a worldwide growing epidemic. The negative influence of obesity is huge and considered to be one of the major contributors to health problems in the western world. There is a significant association between obesity and diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, some cancers and syndromes of sleep apnea. Furthermore, obesity was described to have a negative influence on fertility, pregnancy, labor and pregnancy outcomes. It was also discovered that obesity was significantly associated with gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus and complications in cesarean delivery and anesthesia. This review aims to present updates on the relationship between obesity and pregnancy and labor outcomes, emphasizing the significance of obesity as a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome.