Association of serum vitamin D with change in weight and total body fat in a German cohort of older adults.

We examined the association of baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) with change in weight and total body fat in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults from Southern Germany. A total of 735 participants of the population-based KORA-Age Study (2009-2012), aged 65-90 years, were followed for 2.9±0.1 years. Body fat was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Linear and multinomial logistic models, adjusted for baseline covariables, were used to examine the association of 25(OH)D with percentage weight and body fat change during follow-up. 25(OH)D levels were not associated with overall weight change or body fat loss. Higher 25(OH)D levels were associated with a lower likelihood of having gained >3% of body fat in women but not in men. As we cannot exclude residual confounding by outdoor physical activity and diet, our results are not sufficient to support a causal role of 25(OH)D in the etiology of obesity in Caucasian older adults.

[Patient blood management: Current state of the literature]. / Patient-blood-Management : Stand der aktuellen Literatur.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anemia has a prevalence of approximately 30% and is one of the strongest predictors of perioperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. It is rarely treated although it is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative complications. Additionally, the high variability in the worldwide usage of RBC transfusions is alarming. Due to these serious deficits in patient care, in 2011 the World Health Organization recommended the implementation of a patient blood management (PBM). OBJECTIVES: This article provides information about PBM as a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A selective literature search was carried out in the Medline and Cochrane library databases including consideration of national and international guidelines. RESULTS: A PBM promotes the medically and ethically appropriate use of all available resources, techniques and materials in favor of an optimized perioperative patient care. Patients' own resources should be specifically protected, strengthened and used and include (i) diagnosis and therapy of preoperative anemia, (ii) minimizing perioperative blood loss, (iii) blood-conserving surgical techniques, (iv) restriction of diagnostic blood sampling, (v) utilization of individual anemia tolerance, (vi) optimal coagulation and hemotherapy concepts and (vii) guideline-based, rational indications for the use of RBC transfusions. CONCLUSION: A PBM should be advocated as an incentive to evaluate and critically optimize local conditions. An individual, interdisciplinarily structured bundle of different PBM measures has great potential to optimize the quality of patient care and to make it safer.

Association of low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with the frailty syndrome in an aged population: results from the KORA-age Augsburg study.

OBJECTIVES: Older adults often suffer from vitamin D deficiency and from the frailty syndrome charac-terized by different physical limitations, complicating independent everyday life. Previous studies have suggested a relationship between vitamin D status and the frailty syndrome, but results have been partly inconsistent, particularly regarding the shape of the association. Therefore, our aim was to further assess the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum levels and frailty in older participants. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: The study population included 478 men and 462 women of the KORA (COoperative health research in the Region of Augsburg)-Age study born before 1944 examined in 2009. MEASUREMENTS: Classification of participants into different frailty states was performed according to the following criteria: weight loss, exhaustion, physical inactivity, slowness, and weakness. PARTICIPANTS who met 1-2 or ≥ 3 of the 5 criteria were classified as prefrail or frail, respectively. Total 25(OH)D was measured in non-fasting serum samples with an enhanced chemiluminescence immunoassay. Sequential logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, season, lifestyle factors, diseases and biomarkers including parathyroid hormone (PTH) were calculated. RESULTS: High levels of 25(OH)D were inversely associated with being prefrail (N=351) or frail (N=38) in the model adjusted for age, sex, season and lifestyle factors. Compared to levels <15 ng/ml, odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 0.52 (0.34-0.78) for levels of 15-<20 ng/ml, 0.55 (0.37-0.81) for levels of 20-<30 ng/ml and 0.32 (0.21-0.51) for levels ≥ 30 ng/ml. Additional adjustment for potential mediators including PTH only slightly attenuated these associations. For single frailty-components, significantly decreased ORs were found for exhaustion, physical inactivity and slowness comparing 25(OH)D levels ≥ 30 ng/ml with levels <15 ng/ml. CONCLUSION: Subjects with 25(OH)D serum levels ≥ 15 ng/ml were less frequently prefrail or frail.

Is removal of calcium bar during mitral valve surgery safe? Long-term clinical outcome of 109 consecutive patients.

AIM: Risk factors for adverse outcome after decalcification and patch-reconstruction of the mitral annulus during mitral valve surgery are yet to be defined. For this purpose and for the report of long term results we reviewed our institutional data from over 10 years of mitral valve surgery in the presence of mitral annulus calcification. METHODS: A total of 109 consecutive patients with a mean age of 66.4±14 years (Mean logistic EURO-Score: 18.6%) underwent mitral valve surgery in the presence of extensive calcification of mitral annulus between 1996 and 2008. After decalcification and patch-reconstruction of the mitral annulus, mitral valve repair was performed in 53 cases (49%) and the remaining 56 patients (51%) received a mitral valve replacement. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of adverse outcome. RESULTS: Inhospital-mortality was 8.3% and the actuarial survival rate at 8 years 76.2%. Echocardiographic follow up was complete. 65 survivors (94.5%) showed none or only trivial mitral valve insufficiency. The freedom of reoperation at 8 years was 91.8%. We found hypertension, diabetes mellitus, age older than 65 years, NYHA class IV, end stage renal failure, failure to preserve the subvalvular apparatus as well as concomitant aortic valve replacement to be associated with a significant increase of early or/and late mortality. CONCLUSION: Despite the complexity of this pathology, decalcification and patch-reconstruction of the mitral annulus during mitral valve surgery can be performed with low technical risk and acceptable long-term results.

Risk factors associated with adverse outcome following extracorporeal life support: analysis from 360 consecutive patients.

OBJECTIVE: Risk factors for adverse outcome after extracorporeal life support (ECLS) are yet to be defined. For this purpose, we reviewed our institutional data from more than a decade, focusing on patients with ECLS. METHODS: Between December 2001 and June 2013, 360 consecutive cardiac surgical patients received ECLS for post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock, with high mortality risk despite optimal conventional therapy. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, ECLS-related morbidity, as well as in-hospital and long-term mortality were analysed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of adverse outcome (failed ECLS weaning, in-hospital mortality). RESULTS: The mean age was 62±17 years, 76% were male and the mean preoperative ejection fraction was 35±16%. ECLS was established through peripheral (90%) or central thoracic cannulation. The mean duration of ECLS was 7±1 days. Intra-aortic balloon pumps were implanted in 22% of the patients. ECLS weaning was successful in 58% and 30% could be discharged from hospital. The main cause of death was sepsis (69%). Overall, major cerebrovascular events occurred in 12% (bleeding 3%, embolic 9%), limb ischaemia in 13%, gastrointestinal complications in 16% and renal replacement therapy in 61%. Independent risk factors for adverse outcome were prior cardiorespiratory resuscitation (OR: 4.1, 95%CI: 0.34-4.21, p=0.04), pH <7.1 (OR: 2.8, 95%CI: 0.45-3.28, p=0.01), serum lactate >120 mg/dL (OR: 2.6, 95%CI: 0.75-2.96, p< 0.01), norepinephrine dosage >0.5 µg/kg/min (OR: 2.4, 95%CI: 0.35-2.92, p=0.02) and age >75 years (OR: 2.0, 95%CI: 0.41-2.88, p=0.02). Kaplan Meier estimates for long-term survival were 26±3% at one year and 22±2% at five years. CONCLUSION: ECLS therapy offers one-year survival to one quarter of patients with an otherwise fatal prognosis. Procedural mortality is low and morbidity at the implantation site typically moderate. Thus, prolonged metabolic deterioration in combination with high-dose vasopressor support prior to ECLS therapy should be avoided, particularly in younger patients.

Spherical dilatation of the apex in failing left ventricles: a target for surgical remodelling techniques.

AIM: The present study investigates the geometry of failing left ventricles with a special focus on apical deformation. A new surgical remodelling technique is evaluated. METHODS: In 124 patients with impaired left ventricular function (EF<40%) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) left ventricular (LV) geometry was evaluated by MRI scanning before and after surgery. Besides the sphericity index (SI) two further indices were calculated, longitudinal EF (LEF) and an apical conicity index (ACI). The results were compared to 15 patients with coronary heart disease and normal LV function and 10 test persons. In 35 patients with impaired LV function perpendicular apical compression (AC) stitches were placed. RESULTS: In failing left ventricles indexed LV length increased (5.3 ± 0.6 cm/m2 vs. 4.7 ± 0.8 cm/m2 in control patients and 4.6 ± 0.3 cm/m2 in test persons, P=0.03). LEF was reduced (6% ± 4 versus 22% ± 6 and 19% ± 7 P=0.04). The classical SI was 0.56 ± 0.06 in heart failure patients, 0.50 ± 0.05 in control patients and 0.48 ± 0.04 in test persons. The ACI were 0.75 ± 0.06, 0.58 ± 0.06 and 0.57 ± 0.04 respectively (P<0.05), indicating a pronounced dilatation at the apex. After apical compression LEF improved to 15 ± 1%, the ACI to 0.64 ± 0.04 (P=0.04). LVEDV (166 ± 11 mL [AC] vs. 196 ± 14 mL [without AC]) as well as LV-EF (48 ± 3% [AC] vs. 36 ± 2% [without AC]) significantly improved only after remodelling (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Apical compression improved ventricular geometry and ventricular function in patients with dialatation of the left ventricular apex.

Body adiposity index, body fat content and incidence of type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to compare estimates of body fat content, i.e. body adiposity index (BAI), BMI and waist and hip circumferences, with respect to their ability to predict the percentage of body fat (PBF; confirmed by magnetic resonance tomography) and incident type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Associations between anthropometric measurements and PBF were evaluated in the Tübingen Lifestyle Intervention Program (TULIP; 138 men, 222 women), and between these measurements and incident type 2 diabetes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam study (9,729 men, 15,438 women) and the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) study (5,573 men, 5,628 women), using correlation and multivariate Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: BMI more strongly correlated with PBF (men: r = 0.81, women: r = 0.84) than BAI (r = 0.68 and 0.81, respectively), while waist circumference among men (r = 0.84) and hip circumference among women (r = 0.88) showed the strongest correlations. BAI overestimated PBF among men (mean difference -3.0%), and this error was dependent on the value of PBF. BAI was more weakly associated with diabetes risk (RRs for 1 SD, EPIC-Potsdam men: 1.62 [95% CI 1.52, 1.72], women: 1.67 [95% CI 1.55, 1.80]; KORA men: 1.62 [95% CI 1.48, 1.78], women: 1.82 [95% CI 1.65, 2.02]) compared with BMI (RRs, EPIC-Potsdam men: 1.95 [95% CI 1.83, 2.09], women 1.88 [95% CI 1.76, 2.02], KORA men 1.75 [95% CI 1.62, 1.89], women 2.00 [95% CI 1.81, 2.22]), while waist circumference showed the strongest associations (RRs: 2.17 [95% CI 2.01, 2.35], 2.33 [95% CI 2.15, 2.53], 1.81 [95% CI 1.66, 1.96] and 2.29 [95% CI 2.05, 2.57] for EPIC-Potsdam men and women and KORA men and women, respectively). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Waist circumference in men and hip circumference in women are better predictors of PBF than BAI and BMI. BAI was not as strong a predictor of diabetes as BMI, while waist circumference was the strongest predictor.

Myeloperoxidase is associated with incident coronary heart disease independently of traditional risk factors: results from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg study.

AIMS: Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a marker of oxidative stress. We prospectively investigated whether an increased serum concentration of MPO is associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: We conducted a population-based case-cohort study in middle-aged, healthy men and women within the MONICA/KORA Augsburg studies. Serum levels of MPO were measured in 333 subjects with (cases) and 1727 without (noncases) incident CHD. Mean follow-up time was 10.8 ± 4.6 years. RESULTS: Baseline concentrations of MPO were higher in cases compared with noncases (P ≤ 0.001 in men; P=0.131 in women). After adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors, the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) comparing the top with the two lower tertiles was 1.70 (95% CI, 1.25-2.30). After additional adjustment for markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, the association was attenuated (HR 1.50; 95% CI, 1.08-2.09). There were no significant interactions of MPO with sex or increased weight on CHD risk. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated concentrations of the oxidative stress marker MPO were independently associated with increased risk of incident CHD. This finding deserves detailed evaluation in further studies.

Social isolation and depressed mood are associated with elevated serum leptin levels in men but not in women.

BACKGROUND: Leptin, involved in energy homeostasis and a predictor of cardiovascular disease, has recently been recognized as mediator in stress reactions. We aimed to explore the association between leptin levels and two stress-related conditions, social isolation and depressed mood, both associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. METHODS: We analysed leptin levels in 1229 subjects (643 men, 586 women), derived from the population-based MONIKA/KORA study. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess depressive mood and social isolation. In a multiple linear regression adjusted for body weight, age and survey, the association between leptin, social isolation and depressed mood and its interaction was explored in men and women separately. Leptin was then dichotomized and four analyses, adjusted for age, BMI, lifestyle factors, psychosomatic complaints and metabolic variables were performed to compare the risk of elevated leptin levels in the risk groups. RESULTS: Increased leptin levels were associated with social isolation (p=0.04) and the interaction between social isolation and depressed mood (p=0.02) in men but not in women. In socially isolated and depressed men, leptin levels (mean: 6.07 ng/ml) were significantly increased compared to neither depressed nor isolated men (mean: 4.51 ng/ml, p=0.04). In the multivariate adjusted logistic regression model, the combination of depressed state and social isolation was associated with a 4-fold increased risk (p<0.001) for elevated leptin levels. CONCLUSION: The finding of elevated leptin levels in socially isolated and depressed men raises the possibility that increased cardiovascular mortality in socially isolated men is partially mediated by hyperleptinemia.

Associations between leptin and the leptin / adiponectin ratio and incident Type 2 diabetes in middle-aged men and women: results from the MONICA / KORA Augsburg study 1984-2002.

AIMS: Adipocyte-derived hormones seem to be involved in the development of Type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we assessed the association between the proinflammatory adipokine leptin and incident Type 2 diabetes, taking into account interactions between leptin and the anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin. METHODS: Using a case-cohort design, serum levels of adipokines were measured in 460 cases with incident Type 2 diabetes and 1474 non-cases selected from a source population of 7936 middle-aged subjects participating in the population-based Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA)/Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) Augsburg cohort study between 1984 and 1995 and followed up until 2002 (mean follow-up 10.9+/-4.7 years). RESULTS: High leptin and low adiponectin levels were associated with an increased Type 2 diabetes risk. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing tertile extremes were 1.71 (1.12-2.63) for leptin (top vs. bottom tertile) and 2.65 (1.88-3.76) for adiponectin (bottom vs. top tertile), respectively. There was a significant interaction between leptin and adiponectin, with highest diabetes risk being observed in individuals with high leptin and low adiponectin levels (P = 0.029 for interaction).While the addition of adiponectin to a basic risk factor model improved model prediction (Delta area under the curve 0.011), the change in model prediction was only marginal after the addition of leptin (Delta area under the curve 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the two adipokines leptin and adiponectin interact in modulating Type 2 diabetes risk, but adiponectin is more strongly associated with Type 2 diabetes risk than leptin.

Potential renal protective benefits of intra-operative BNP infusion during cardiac transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Recombinant BNP (nesiritide) is known to reduce endothelin levels, cause afferent arteriole vasodilation, and increase natriuresis and diuresis. We hypothesized that intraoperative infusion of BNP may benefit renal function in cardiac transplant patients. METHODS: From June 2003 to September 2005, 22 consecutive heart transplant patients received BNP at a dose of 0.01 microg/kg/min before initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (group A). BNP infusion was continued for a mean of 3.3 +/- 1.9 days. Hemodynamics, urine output, and serum creatinine levels were prospectively collected and compared with 22 consecutive patients who underwent heart transplantation between May 2002 and June 2003 following the identical transplant protocol, but without BNP infusion (group B). RESULTS: At 24 hours postoperatively, mean blood pressure was comparable between groups (87 +/- 11 mm Hg vs 89 +/- 17 mm Hg, P = .7), but pulmonary artery pressure (18 +/- 5 mm Hg vs 24 +/- 5 mm Hg, P = .001) and central venous pressure (12 +/- 5 mm Hg vs 16 +/- 4 mm Hg, P = .01) were lower with BNP infusion, whereas cardiac index was augmented (2.8 +/- 0.5 vs 2.4 +/- 0.6, P = .03). Requirement of low-dose inotropic and vasopressor support was equally distributed between groups (P > or = .72). Postoperative urine output for the initial 24 hours was higher in group A (84 +/- 15 vs 55 +/- 36 mL/h, P = .01). None of the patients with BNP infusion required additional diuretics or renal replacement therapy during the first week after transplantation. Mean postoperative serum creatinine levels as compared with preoperative values remained unchanged within group A (P = .12), but increased significantly in group B (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative BNP infusion in heart transplant recipients was associated with favorable postoperative hemodynamics, significantly improved urine output, and stable serum creatinine levels. A prospective, randomized, multicenter trial is warranted to evaluate the potential renal protective benefits of intraoperative BNP infusion in this patient population.

Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation with bipolar radiofrequency ablation: mid-term results in one hundred consecutive patients.

AIM: The Cox-Maze procedure was introduced nearly two decades ago for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, our group has replaced most of the incisions of the Cox-Maze procedure with bipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablations (Cox-Maze IV procedure). The purpose of this study was to examine our midterm results with the Cox-Maze procedure using bipolar RF ablation. METHODS: From January 2002 to October 2005, 100 consecutive patients underwent a modified Cox-Maze procedure with bipolar RF ablation for AF; 32 were lone operations, and 68 were concomitant procedures. Follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and then annually thereafter. Heart rhythm was confirmed by electrocardiography. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 62+/-13 years; 57% were male. Duration of AF was 6.3+/-7.6 years (0.1 to 40 years), 59% had paroxysmal AF, and 34% had permanent AF. Follow-up was complete for all patients with a mean follow-up of 13+/-10 months. At 12-month follow-up, 91% (49/54) of patients were free of AF. Cross-clamp time in the lone Cox-Maze IV procedure patients was 42+/-15 minutes, while it was 101+/-29 minutes for the Cox-Maze IV with a concomitant procedure (compared to 93+/-34 minutes and 122+/-37 minutes for the traditional procedure, P<0.05). There were four operative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The Cox-Maze IV procedure had good mid-term efficacy. The use of bipolar RF energy significantly decreased operative time and simplified the procedure compared to the traditional Cox-Maze procedure, potentially increasing utilization of the procedure among cardiac surgeons.

Moderate hypothermia (30 degrees C) for surgery of acute type A aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: Antegrade cerebral perfusion has proved to be a reliable method of brain protection during surgery of thoracic aneurysms. In addition, the drawbacks of deep hypothermia may be avoided. This study examines the outcome after surgery for acute type A aortic dissections (AAD) using moderate (30 degrees C) systemic hypothermia compared with conventional techniques of cerebral protection. METHODS: Between January 1999 and August 2003, 74 patients underwent repair of acute type A aortic dissection. Moderate systemic hypothermia (30 degrees C) with selective antegrade cerebral perfusion through subclavian artery (group A) was used in 18 patients. Deep hypothermia (20 - 24 degrees C) was employed using either retrograde (18 patients, group B) or antegrade (38 patients, group C) cerebral perfusion. Tube graft replacement was performed in 55, valve-sparing procedure in 8, and composite graft replacement in 11 patients. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was 5.5 % in group A, 5.5 % in group B, and 15.8 % in group C (A vs. C and B vs. C; p < 0.01). New postoperative permanent neurologic deficit occurred in 5.5 % of patients in group A, 16.7 % in group B, and 13.2 % in group C. Mean chest tube drainage within the first 24 h in groups A, B and C was 703 +/- 338, 1178 +/- 820, and 1447 +/- 802 ml, respectively (A vs. B and A vs. C; p < 0.01). Cardiopulmonary bypass, ICU, and hospital times were significantly shorter in group A. CONCLUSIONS: Selective antegrade cerebral perfusion with moderate systemic hypothermia appears to be a safe and sufficient tool for brain protection during AAD repair. In avoiding deep hypothermia, this technique may help to reduce cardiopulmonary bypass time and hypothermia-related side effects.

Inverse mRNA expression of the selenocysteine-containing proteins GI-GPx and SeP in colorectal adenomas compared with adjacent normal mucosa.

Four selenocysteine-containing proteins (gastrointestinal glutathione peroxidase, plasma glutathione peroxidase, selenoprotein P, and thioredoxin reductase-alpha) are expressed in the colonic mucosa. Because of their antioxidant functions, a protective role in colon carcinogenesis is discussed. The aim of this study was to elucidate an involvement of gastrointestinal selenoproteins during the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Matched pairs of biopsies of colorectal adenomas and adjacent normal mucosa from 11 patients were analyzed for mRNA expression, protein expression, or enzyme activity of selenoproteins by Northern blot, Western blot, or enzymatic tests. All adenomas revealed a marked reduction of selenoprotein P and a variable increase of gastrointestinal glutathione peroxidase mRNA compared with adjacent tissue. Thioredoxin reductase-alpha and plasma glutathione peroxidase mRNA expression were not altered in adenomas. The Northern blot results were confirmed by Western blot analysis or enzyme activity measurement, respectively. We conclude that gastrointestinal glutathione peroxidase and selenoprotein P play a complementary role in the antioxidative cell defense along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. It remains to be shown whether upregulation of gastrointestinal glutathione peroxidase in adenomas represents a compensatory mechanism to reduce susceptibility for oxidative damage resulting from the loss of selenoprotein P.