Pleural effusion post coronary artery bypass surgery: associations and complications

BackgroundOne of the most frequent complications of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is pleural effusion. Limited previous studies have found post-CABG pleural effusion to be associated with increased length-of-stay and greater morbidity post-CABG. Despite this the associations of this common complication are poorly described. This study sought to identify modifiable risk factors for effusion post-CABG.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data assessed patients who underwent CABG over two-years. Data was collected for risk factors and sequelae related to pleural effusion requiring drainage.ResultsA total of 409 patients were included. Average age was 64.9±10.2 years, 330 (80.7%) were male. 59 (14.4%) patients underwent drainage of pleural effusion post-CABG. Effusions were drained on average 9.9±8.4 days post-CABG. Earlier removal of drain tubes and removal near time of extubation were associated with development of pleural effusion. Post-CABG pleural effusion was associated with post-operative renal impairment (P<0.01) and pericardial effusion (P<0.01). Patients with pleural effusion were more likely to require readmission to ICU (P<0.01), reintubation (P=0.03) and readmission to hospital (P=0.03).ConclusionsPleural effusion is a common complication of cardiac surgery and is associated with significant morbidity and resource utilization. This study identifies several associated complications that should be considered in the presence of pleural effusion. Modifiable associated factors in the management of drains that may contribute to accumulation of pleural effusion include: early removal of chest drains, higher outputs and removal during or close to mechanical ventilation. Further research is required to assess how adjusting these modifiable factors can decrease rates of effusion post-operatively.     

Prognostic value of microalbuminuria on admission in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

ObjectiveThere have been no studies examining the effect of microalbuminuria on outcomes of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). This study aimed to assess the association between microalbuminuria and in-hospital mortality in patients with APE.MethodsThis retrospective study included all adult patients hospitalized due to APE between June 2015 and May 2018. Blood and urine samples were collected before the diagnostic procedures on admission. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) levels: normoalbuminuria (<30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (30–299 mg/g), and macroalbuminuria (> 300 mg/g). The primary endpoint of the study was in-hospital mortality.ResultsA total of 154 consecutive patients (mean age 69.8 ± 13.4 years, 51.9% female) were included, and 21 (13.6%) of the patients died during their in-hospital course. The prevalence of normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria was 70.1%, 23.4%, and 6.5%, respectively. Patients with in-hospital mortality had significantly lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), but higher UACR at admission than those patients who survived. As compared with patients with normoalbuminuria, multivariate analyses showed that the patients with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria had 2.38-, and 3.48-fold higher risk for in-hospital mortality, respectively (p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses also showed that UACR >102.6 mg/g (OR: 1.76; 95% CI, 0.99–3.16; p = 0.011) was independently associated with in-hospital mortality, while a low eGFR was not associated.ConclusionMicroalbuminuria at admission may allow rapid prediction of prognosis in patients with APE.     

Evaluation of usefulness of pleural fluid adenosine deaminase in diagnosing tuberculous pleural effusion from empyema

ObjectiveTo evaluate the utility of adenosine deaminase activity in the pleural fluid for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion from empyema of non-tubercular origin.MethodA retrospective analysis of data was performed on patients who were diagnosed to have tuberculous pleural effusion and empyema of non tubercular origin. Among 46 patients at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India, from November 2012 to February 2013 who underwent pleural fluid adenosine deaminase estimation, 25 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion and 21 patients with empyema were diagnosed respectively. Adenosine deaminase in pleural fluid is estimated using colorimetric, Galanti and Guisti method.ResultsPleural fluid Adenosine Deaminase levels among tuberculous pleural effusion(109.38±53.83), empyema (141.20±71.69) with P=0.27.ConclusionPleural fluid adenosine deaminase alone cannot be used as a marker for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion.     

Postprocedure Anticoagulation in Patients With Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

ObjectivesThis study sought to assess the association between postprocedural anticoagulation (PPAC) use and several clinical outcomes.BackgroundPPAC after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) may prevent recurrent ischemic events but may increase the risk of bleeding. No consensus has been reached on PPAC use.MethodsUsing data from the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China–Acute Coronary Syndrome registry, conducted between 2014 and 2019, we stratified all STEMI patients who underwent pPCI according to the use of PPAC or not. Inverse probability of treatment weighting and a Cox proportional hazards model with hospital as random effect were used to analyze differences in in-hospital clinical outcomes: the primary efficacy endpoint was mortality and the primary safety endpoint was major bleeding.ResultsOf 34,826 evaluable patients, 26,272 (75.4%) were treated with PPAC and were on average younger, more stable at admission with lower bleeding risk score, more likely to have comorbidities and multivessel disease, and more often treated within 12 hours of symptom onset than those without PPAC. After inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment for baseline differences, PPAC was associated with significantly reduced risk of in-hospital mortality (0.9% vs 1.8%; HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.43-0.89; P < 0.001) and a nonsignificant difference in risk of in-hospital major bleeding (2.5% vs 2.2%; HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.83-1.32; P = 0.14).ConclusionsPPAC in STEMI patients after pPCI was associated with reduced mortality without increasing major bleeding complications. Dedicated randomized trials with contemporary STEMI management are needed to confirm these findings.     

Identification of Pleural Response Patterns: A Cluster Analysis

BackgroundPleural effusion occurs as a response of the pleura to aggressions. The pleura reacts differently according to the type of injury. However, pleural reactions have not yet been characterized. The objective of this study was to identify homogeneous clusters of patients based on the analytical characteristics of their pleural fluid and identify pleural response patterns.MethodsA prospective study was conducted of consecutive patients seen in our unit for pleural effusion. Principal component and cluster analyses were carried out to identify pleural response patterns based on a combination of pleural fluid biomarkers.ResultsA total of 1613 patients were grouped into six clusters, namely: cluster 1 (10.5% of the cohort, primarily composed of patients with malignant pleural effusions); cluster 2 (17.4%, pleural effusions with inflammatory biomarkers); cluster 3 (16.1%, primarily composed of patients with infectious pleural effusions); cluster 4 (2.5%, a subcluster of cluster 3, superinfectious effusions); cluster 5 (23.4%, paucicellular pleural effusions); and cluster 6 (30.1%, miscellaneous). Significant differences were observed across clusters in terms of the analytical characteristics of PF (p < 0.001 for all), age (p < 0.001), and gender (p = 0.016). A direct relationship was found between the type of cluster and the etiology of pleural effusion.ConclusionPleural response is heterogeneous. The pleura may respond differently to the same etiology or similarly to different etiologies, which hinders diagnosis of pleural effusion.     

Outcomes of surgically managed primary lung sarcomas: a National Cancer Database analysis

BackgroundPrimary lung sarcoma (PLS) represents a rare form of lung cancer with outcomes that are poorly defined by small datasets. We sought to characterize clinical and pathological characteristics and associated survival within the surgically managed subgroup of these unusual pulmonary malignancies.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB), which was queried for cases of surgically managed PLS diagnosed between 2004–2014. Adjusted mortality was evaluated in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model and compared to surgically manage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients from the same time period.ResultsA total of 695 patients with surgically managed PLS were identified with 37 different histologic subtypes. The mean age of diagnosis was 57.7 years (range, 18–90 years). A majority of patients underwent surgical resection alone (64.3%) with an estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) of 51%. The multivariable Cox model identified increasing age, Charlson-Deyo score ≥2, high tumor grade, tumor size >5 cm, positive margins, and positive lymph nodes to be associated with higher risk for mortality (P<0.05). Compared to 101,428 surgically managed patients with adenocarcinoma, PLS patients were younger with fewer comorbidities but had larger tumors, higher grade tumors, and were more likely node negative (P<0.001). Surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with worse survival than surgery alone (HR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.05–1.88). The extent of parenchymal resection (lobar vs. sublobar) was not predictive for survival. Five-year OS was lower for patients with PLS (44%) than adenocarcinoma (53.6%, P<0.001).ConclusionsThe survival of surgically managed PLS is reasonable and impacted by tumor attributes and the completeness of surgical resection. Further study to define the role of multimodal therapy is indicated.     

Impact of underlying chronic adrenal insufficiency on clinical course of hospitalized patients with adrenal crisis: A nationwide cohort study

BackgroundChronic adrenal insufficiency (AI) is an established risk factor for adrenal crisis (AC). However, the proportion of patients with newly diagnosed chronic AI during admission for AC is unclear.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used a Japanese claims database involving 7.39 million patients at 145 acute care hospitals between 2003 and 2014. Study patients with AC met these criteria: 1) newly coded in claims as AI; 2) glucocorticoid therapy administered; 3) admission; and 4) age ≥ 18 years. We investigated the prevalence of underlying chronic AI and assessed in-hospital mortality. Additionally, we explored risk factors for in-hospital mortality through multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model.ResultsAmong 504 patients with AC, chronic AI was diagnosed before and during admission in 73 (14.5%) and 86 (17.1%) patients, respectively. In-hospital mortality rates were 1.4% and 5.8%, respectively, lower than that of the total population (14.1%). Significant risk factors for increased mortality were: age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.45/10 years; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17–1.78), requiring mechanical ventilation (HR 3.81; 95% CI 1.88–7.72), vasopressor administration (HR 2.05; 95% CI 1.16–3.64), sepsis (HR 3.79; 95% CI 1.57–9.14), AI-related symptoms (HR 2.00; 95% CI 1.02–3.93), and liver disease (HR 3.24; 95% CI 1.10–9.58).ConclusionsRelative to patients without chronic AI, those diagnosed before admission tended to survive to discharge; however, the difference with those diagnosed during admission was not significant. Hospital admission due to nonspecific AI-related symptoms was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality.     

The risk factors and outcomes of preoperative hepatic dysfunction in patients who receive surgical repair for acute type A aortic dissection

BackgroundHepatic dysfunction (HD) is a common complication that can occur after surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and is associated with poor prognosis. However, the incidence of early preoperative HD and the associated risk factors in patients with ATAAD have not been fully elucidated.MethodsA total of 984 ATAAD patients who received surgical repair within 48 hours of symptom onset at our department from January 2014 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the non-HD group and the HD groups according to the Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score before surgery. The clinical parameters and clinical outcomes of the 2 groups were collected and compared.ResultsPreoperative HD was detected in 268 patients (27.2%). The incidence of in-hospital complications, including the need for dialysis (34.0% vs. 9.2%; P<0.001), was significantly higher in patients with HD compared to patients without HD (69.8% vs. 51.0%; P<0.001). Patients with HD had a higher 30-day mortality rate compared to patients without HD (20.1% vs. 8.4%; P<0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that preoperative cardiac tamponade, preoperative serum creatinine levels, and serum troponin T levels upon admission were independent predictors for preoperative HD in patients with ATAAD. Interestingly, even though preoperative HD was associated with an increased 30-day mortality rate, it did not significantly affect the long-term mortality rate (log-rank P=0.259).ConclusionsEarly HD before surgery was commonly observed in patients with ATAAD and was associated with increased in-hospital complications after surgery, but did not significantly affect long-term survival.     

Profile of infective endocarditis at a tertiary care center in Brazil during a seven-year period: prognostic factors and in-hospital outcome

ObjectivesTo describe the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory profile of infective endocarditis (IE) at a Brazilian tertiary care center, and to identify the predictors of in-hospital mortality.MethodsData from 62 patients who fulfilled the modified Duke's criteria for IE during a seven-year period were gathered prospectively. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify predictive factors for death.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 45 years, and 39 patients (63%) were male. The median time from admission to diagnosis was 15 days. Rheumatic heart disease was the predominant underlying heart condition (39%), followed by valvular prosthesis (31%). Neurological complications were observed in 12 patients (19%). Echocardiography demonstrated one or more vegetations in 84% of cases. The infective agent was identified in 65% of cases, and the most frequent causative agents were staphylococci (48%), followed by streptococci (20%). The median duration of hospitalization was 39 days. Surgery was performed during the acute phase of the IE in 53% of cases. The overall in-hospital mortality was 31%. On multivariate analysis, vegetation length >13 mm remained the only independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio 1.05 per millimeter, 95% confidence interval 1.003–1.110, p = 0.038).ConclusionsIE remains a severe disease affecting the young population in Brazil, and rheumatic heart disease continues to be the most common underlying heart condition. Large vegetation size, assessed early in the course of IE by transesophageal echocardiography, along with the clinical and microbiological features, may predict in-hospital death.     

Pleural Effusions in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Clinical and Prognostic Significance

Purpose

Pleural effusion (PEs) may complicate diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). However, their real prevalence and prognostic significance have seldom been approached systematically.

Methods

Retrospective single-center evaluation of consecutive patients with DLBCL was conducted. Baseline characteristics, PEs on CT imaging, pleural fluid analyses, and outcome until death or censoring date were collected.

Results

Of 185 DLBCL patients, 55 (30%) had PEs, of which 27 (49%) were analyzed. Most tapped PEs were malignant (n = 24) and cytological and/or flow cytometric analyses provided the diagnosis in about 70% of the cases. Malignant PEs were exudates with adenosine deaminase levels > 35 U/L in 35% of the cases. More than one-third of lymphomatous PEs required definitive pleural procedures for symptomatic relief. PEs greater than 200 mL on CT scans were an independent predictor of poor survival in Cox regression modeling (hazard ratio 1.9).

Conclusions

PEs are common in DLBCL and foreshadow a poor prognosis.

     

Quantitation and predictors of short-term mortality following extrapleural pneumonectomy,pleurectomy/decortication,and nonoperative management for malignant pleural mesothelioma

BackgroundFor malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), the benefit of resection, as well as the optimal surgical technique, remain controversial. In efforts to better refine patient selection, this retrospective observational cohort study queried the National Cancer Database in an effort to quantify and evaluate predictors of 30- and 90-day mortality between extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) and pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), as well as nonoperative management.MethodsAfter applying selection criteria, cumulative incidences of mortality by treatment paradigm were graphed for the unadjusted and propensity-matched populations, as well as for six a priori age-based intervals (≤60, 61–65, 66–70, 71–75, 76–80, and ≥81 years). The interaction between age and hazard ratio (HR) for mortality between treatment paradigms was also graphed. Cox multivariable analysis ascertained factors independently associated with 30- and 90-day mortality.ResultsOf 10,723 patients, 2,125 (19.8%) received resection (n=438 EPP, n=1,687 P/D) and 8,598 (80.2%) underwent nonoperative management. The unadjusted 30/90-day mortality for EPP, P/D, and all operated cases was 3.0%/8.0%, 5.4%/14.1%, and 4.9%/12.8%, respectively. There were no short-term mortality differences between EPP and P/D following propensity-matching, within each age interval, or between age subgroups on interaction testing (P>0.05 for all). Nonoperative patients had a crude 30- and 90-day mortality of 9.9% and 24.6%, respectively. Several variables were identified as predictors of short-term mortality, notably patient age (HR 1.022, P<0.001), Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index (HR 1.882, P<0.001), receipt of treatment at high-volume centers (HR 0.834, P=0.032) and induction chemotherapy (HR 1.735, P=0.025), among others. The patient (yearly) incremental increase in age conferred 2.0% (30 day) and 2.2% (90 day) increased risk of mortality (P<0.001).ConclusionsQuantitative estimates of age-associated 30- and 90-day mortality of EPP and P/D should be considered when potentially operable patients are counseled regarding the risks and benefits of resection.     

Study to identify incidence and risk factors associated Residual pleural opacity in tubercular pleural effusion

IntroductionResidual pleural opacity (RPO) is a common radiographic sequela in patients with tubercular pleural effusion at the end of the treatment. This study was designed to find out the risk factors associated with residual pleural opacity (RPO).Materials & methodsThis was a prospective longitudinal study performed to analyse data of 56 patients (46 males & 10 females) who were diagnosed as tubercular pleural effusion and treated for the same between 1st Jan 2019 to 30th March 2020. Chest X-ray posteroanterior & Lateral view was done (performed) at 0 and 6 months of treatment to quantify the amount of pleural effusion and measured the residual pleural opacity at the end of the treatment. RPO included both non resolving pleural effusion as well as residual pleural thickening (RPT). All statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore the association of risk factors and Residual pleural opacity. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05 (two-tailed).ResultsThe incidence of Residual pleural opacity (RPO) at the end of 6 months of antituberculosis treatment was 53.57% (30/56)). The study patients were divided into RPO and non- RPO group. Male gender had significantly higher incidence of RPO (93.3% vs 69.2% P = 0.01)). Patients with RPO group had significantly more cough and weight loss as compared to non RPO group (96.6% vs 65.3% P = 0.002 and 60% vs 23% P = 0.005). The proportion of patients who underwent therapeutic aspiration and gained weight of more than 5kg during treatment (19.5% vs 7.6% P = 0.02 & 46.6% vs 7.6% P = 0.001) was significantly higher in RPO group. A significantly lower protein, glucose and higher LDH level in pleural fluid was observed in the RPO group compared to non-RPO group (P = 0.006, P = 0.01, P = 0.001)). No significant difference was found in the pleural fluid ADA, lymphocyte, neutrophil levels between the two groups (p > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the male gender, low pleural fluid glucose, presence of cough and weight loss were associated with significantly increased risk of residual pleural opacity and thickening (p < 0.05).ConclusionTubercular pleural effusion is associated with residual pleural opacity in more than half of the patients. Male gender and low glucose levels in pleural fluid was associated with increased risk of residual pleural opacity.     

Comparison in Prevalence,Predictors, and Clinical Outcome of VSR Versus FWR after Acute Myocardial Infarction: The Prospective,Multicenter Registry MOODY Trial-Heart Rupture Analysis

BackgroundDifferences in the predictors between ventricular septal rupture (VSR) and free wall rupture (FWR) have not been fully studied. Data on the prevalence and clinical outcome of heart rupture are limited.HypothesisThis study aimed to investigate heart rupture incidence and clinical results in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).MethodsOf 9265 AMI patients in the MOODY registry between March 1999 and October 2016, a total of 146 were studied. The primary clinical endpoint was rupture prevalence and in-hospital mortality. Independent factors of heart rupture were analyzed using Cox proportional model and were compared between patients with VSR and those with FWR.ResultsOf 9265 AMI patients, 146 (1.58%) patients had a heart rupture (FWR, 94 (1.02%)) and VSR (52 (0.56%)). All patients with FWR died during hospitalization, and in-hospital mortality was recorded in 37 (71.2%) patients with VSR, who had an extremely longer time delay from AMI onset to the first medical contact (FMC) (~20 h). FWR usually occurred in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with a FMC ≥ 3 h, for whom primary reperfusion was not performed. Percutaneous repair at 1–2 weeks following AMI was associated with less mortality, and 9 of 38 patients who underwent non-primary reperfusion died post procedure.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the importance of shortening FMC to prevent VSR and of early primary reperfusion in STEMI patients to reduce FWR. Urgent closure of rupture is necessary to reduce in-hospital and 1-year mortality.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.clinicaltrials.org, identifier: No. NCT03051048.     

Sex Differences in Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Presenting With Cardiogenic Shock

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine the sex differences in the risk profile, management, and outcomes among patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS).BackgroundContemporary clinical data regarding sex differences in the management and outcomes of AMI patients presenting with CS are scarce.MethodsPatients admitted with AMI-CS from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain-MI registry between October 2008 to December 2017 were included. Sex differences in baseline characteristics, in-hospital management, and outcomes were compared. Patients ≥65 years of age with available linkage data to Medicare claims were included in the analysis of 1-year outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for patient and hospital-related covariates were used to estimate sex-specific differences in in-hospital and 1-year outcomes, respectively.ResultsAmong 17,195 patients presenting with AMI-CS, 37.3% were women. Women were older, had a higher prevalence of comorbidities, and had worse renal function at presentation. Women were less likely to receive guideline-directed medical therapies within 24 hours and at discharge, undergo diagnostic angiography (85.0% vs 91.1%), or receive mechanical circulatory support (25.4% vs 33.8%). Women had higher risks of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.02-1.19) and major bleeding (adjusted OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.12-1.34). For patients ≥65 years of age, women did not have a higher risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.88-1.09) and mortality or heart failure hospitalization (adjusted HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.91-1.12) at 1 year compared with men.ConclusionsIn this large nationwide analysis of patients with AMI-CS, women were less likely to receive guideline recommended care, including revascularization, and had worse in-hospital outcomes than men. At 1 year, there were no sex differences in the risk of mortality. Efforts are needed to address sex disparities in the initial care of AMI-CS patients.     

Prognostic Value of Delirium in Patients With Acute Heart Failure in the Intensive Care Unit

BackgroundDelirium is a common adverse event observed in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the prognostic value of delirium and its determinants have not been thoroughly investigated in patients with acute heart failure (AHF).MethodsWe investigated 408 consecutive patients with AHF admitted to the ICU. Delirium was diagnosed by means of the Confusion Assessment Method for ICU tool and evaluated every 8 hours during the patients’ ICU stays.ResultsDelirium occurred in 109 patients (26.7%), and the in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with delirium (13.8% vs 2.3%; P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that delirium independently predicted in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 4.33, confidence interval [CI] 1.62-11.52; P = 0.003). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 12-month mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with delirium compared with those without (log-rank test: P < 0.001), and Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that delirium remained an independent predictor of 12-month mortality (hazard ratio 2.19, 95% CI 1.49-3.25; P < 0.001). The incidence of delirium correlated with severity of heart failure as assessed by means of the Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure risk score (chi-square test: P = 0.003). Age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.09; P = 0.003), nursing home residential status (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.59-6.94; P = 0.001), and dementia (OR 5.32, 95% CI 2.83-10.00; P < 0.001) were independently associated with the development of delirium.ConclusionsDevelopment of delirium during ICU stay is associated with short- and long-term mortality and is predicted by the severity of heart failure, nursing home residential, and dementia status.     

Association between red blood cell distribution width and in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction

Previous studies have shown an independent association between increased red cell distribution width (RDW) and mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, evidence regarding the predictive significance of repeated measures of RDW in patients with AMI remains scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between the dynamic profile of RDW and in-hospital mortality in patients with AMI.This was a cross-sectional study. We extracted clinical data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IIIV1.4 database. Demographic data, vital signs, laboratory test data, and comorbidities were collected from the database. The clinical endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the prognostic values of basic RDW, and the Kaplan–Meier method was used to plot survival curves. Subgroup analyses were performed to measure mortality across various subgroups. The repeated-measures data were compared using a generalized additive mixed model.In total, 3101eligible patients were included. In multivariate analysis, adjusted for age, sex, and ethnicity, RDW was a significant risk predictor of in-hospital mortality. Furthermore, after adjusting for more confounding factors, RDW remained a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality (tertile 3 vs tertile 1: hazard ratio 2.3; 95% confidence interval 1.39–4.01; P for trend <.05). The Kaplan–Meier curve for tertiles of RDW indicated that survival rates were highest when RDW was ≤13.2% and lowest when RDW was ≥14.2% after adjustment for age, sex, and ethnicity. During the intensive care unit stay, the RDW of nonsurvivors progressively increased until death occurred.Our findings showed that a higher RDW was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with AMI.     

Incidence,etiology, and outcome of pleural effusions in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Pleural effusion is a known entity in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); however, the incidence, risk factors, and morbidity?mortality outcomes associated with pleural effusions remain unknown. We retrospectively evaluated pleural effusions in 618 consecutive adult patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT from January 2008 to December 2013 at our institution. Seventy one patients developed pleural effusion at a median of 40 days (range, 1 ? 869) post‐HSCT with the cumulative incidence of 9.9% (95% CI, 7.7 ? 12.5%) at 1 year. Infectious etiology was commonly associated with pleural effusions followed by volume overload and serositis type chronic GVHD. In multivariate analysis, higher comorbidity index (P = 0.03) and active GVHD (P = 0.018) were found to be significant independent predictors for pleural effusion development. Higher comorbidity index, very high disease risk index, ≤7/8 HLA matching, and unrelated donor were associated with inferior overall survival (OS) (P < 0.03). More importantly, patients with pleural effusion were noted to have poor OS in comparison to patients without pleural effusion (P < 0.001). Overall, pleural effusion is a frequently occurring complication after allogeneic HSCT, adding to morbidity and mortality and hence, early identification is required. Am. J. Hematol. 91:E341–E347, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Gender differences in coronary artery diameters and survival results after off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) procedures

BackgroundCardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death among men and women. The gender related survival differences following off-pump surgery was the subject of the study with relation to coronary arteries diameters according to sizes of intraluminal shunts applied during surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively collected data of 2,772 patients who were referred for surgical revascularization in our department between 2010 and 2018 with mean follow up period of 76 months. Patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with off-pump technique (OPCAB) with intraluminal shunts application during each anastomosis.ResultsThe multivariate Cox’s proportional hazards model revealed male sex as significant all-cause mortality risk factor [hazard ratio (HR) =4.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): (3.12–6.83)]. The survival proportion was significantly lower in male than female (73% vs. 94%; P<0.0001) within 130 months of follow up despite favorable results of coronary artery diameters. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) diameters of coronary arteries measured by shunts applied during off-pump revascularization were 1.81±0.28 vs. 1.7±0.26 mm (P<0.0001) for left anterior descending artery (LAD) anastomosis, 1.78±0.27 vs. 1.71±0.29 mm (P<0.0001) for circumflex artery (Cx) anastomosis and 1.77±0.28 vs. 1.72±0.31 mm (P>0.05) for right coronary artery (RCA) anastomosis in men and women subgroups, respectively.ConclusionsFemale sex is associated with better overall late survival following surgical revascularization despite smaller diameters of coronary arteries in direct measurement with the use of intraluminal shunt application.     

Increased E/A Ratio is a Risk Factor for the Formation of Pleural Effusion in Heart Failure

Purpose

Pleural effusion is a common finding in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The pathogenesis of pleural effusion in heart failure is multifactorial. However, the role of right and left ventricular function assessed by ECHO cardiogram has not been studied. Therefore, we explored the association between right and left ventricular parameters on echocardiogram in patients with heart failure with and without pleural effusion diagnosed using CT scan of chest.

Methods

A case–control study was utilized to explore the objectives. Using strict exclusion criteria, patients admitted with a single diagnosis of acute CHF were stratified into those with and without pleural effusion using CT scan of chest done at admission. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant factors associated with pleural effusion.

Results

Among the 70 patients, 36 (51%) had pleural effusions. The mean E/A ratio in patients with effusion (2.53 ± 1.1) was significantly higher than in patients without effusion (1.15 ± 0.9), p < 0.01. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that elevated E/A ratio was significantly associated with pleural effusion, OR 3.26 (95% CI 1.57–6.77, p < 0.009). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), septal Eʹ, lateral Eʹ, and medial E/Eʹ ratio were not significantly different in patients with and without pleural effusion.

Conclusion

Elevated E/A ratio is a risk factor for the formation of pleural effusion in patients with heart failure.