Long-Term Clinical Outcomes after Endovascular Therapy for Anti-Centromere Antibody-Positive Patients with Critical Limb-Threatening Ischemia

PurposeTo examine the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with anti-centromere antibody (ACA)-positive critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) who were treated with endovascular therapy (EVT).Materials and MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis using a database of 423 consecutive CLTI patients (543 limbs, Rutherford class 4–6) who underwent EVT between January 2011 and March 2013. The patients were divided into 2 groups: an ACA-positive group (10 limbs, 8 patients) and a control group (46 limbs, 43 patients). The control group was defined as female, non-dialysis, and those who were able to obtain a below-knee angiogram.ResultsNone of the 8 ACA-positive CLTI patients had previously been diagnosed as ACA positive. No significant difference was observed in the below-the-knee lesion distribution and severity between the ACA-positive group and the control group. The median observational period was 51 months. The survival rate was 54% in the ACA-positive group and 76% in the control group at 5 years after EVT (P = .732). The freedom from major amputation rate was 60% in the ACA-positive group and 91% in the control group at 5 years after EVT (P = .029). The technical EVT success rate in the ACA-positive group was 70% (7/10). Of the successful EVT cases, 71% (5/7) of patients achieved complete wound healing or rest pain relief; however, 60% (3/5) had a recurrence of wounds.ConclusionsIn a series of ACA-positive patients with CLTI, successful EVT had acceptable outcomes with respect to wound healing with short-term results. However, the major amputation rate for ACA-positive patients was high in long-term follow-up.     

冠状病毒感染对心血管系统的损伤及可能机制

冠状病毒(coronavirus,CoVs)感染主要累及肺部,但对心血管系统损伤作用也不容忽视。CoVs感染引起的心脏损伤并非罕见,其发生与病情的严重程度密切相关。本文首先从CoVs引起心血管损伤的证据入手,进一步探讨了CoVs对心肌的直接损伤,以及肾素血管紧张素(RAS)系统激活和细胞因子风暴与炎症反应对心血管损伤的可能作用机制。相关心血管损伤的可能机制包括,(1)病毒直接作用:CoVs在心肌细胞复制,损伤心肌;(2)RAS系统激活:感染CoVs后,心脏血管紧张素转化酶2(angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,ACE2)的表达下调,激活RAS系统,使得血管紧张素Ⅱ(AngiotensinⅡ,AngⅡ)收缩血管功能增强,Ang1-7保护心脏效应减弱;(3)诱发细胞因子风暴:循环细胞因子和全身炎症反应引起心脏损伤;(4)其他:包括低氧血症和儿茶酚胺心脏毒性。本文就相关内容作一综述,为后续的详尽机制和治疗策略研究提供思路。     

Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing for suspected infected pancreatic necrosis

BackgroundMetagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is increasingly used for the clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases, but there is a paucity of data regarding the application of mNGS in the early diagnosis of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN).ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical application value of mNGS in the pathogenic diagnosis of IPN.MethodsForty-two patients with suspected IPN were prospectively and consecutively enrolled from August 2019 to August 2021. Blood samples were collected for mNGS and microbial culture simultaneously during fever (T ≥ 38.5 °C). For patients who had indications of surgical interventions, peri-pancreatic specimens were collected for mNGS and microbial culture simultaneously during the first surgical intervention to confirm IPN. The clinical performance of mNGS and microbial culture were compared.ResultsA total of 21 patients (50.0%) were confirmed to have IPN during hospitalization. The sensitivity of blood mNGS was significantly higher than blood culture (95.2% vs. 23.8%, P < 0.001) in diagnosing IPN. The negative predictive value of blood mNGS was 90.0%. The turnaround time of mNGS was significantly shorter than that of microbial culture [(37.70 ± 1.44) vs. (115.23 ± 8.79) h, P < 0.01] and the average costs of mNGS accounted for 1.7% of the average total cost of hospitalization. The survival analysis demonstrates that the positive blood mNGS result was not associated with increased mortality (P = 0.119).ConclusionsWith more valuable diagnostic performance and shorter turnaround time, clinical mNGS represents a potential step forward in the early diagnosis of IPN.     

Dynamic Indicators That Impact the Outcomes of Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Complicated Type B Aortic Dissection

PurposeTo investigate dynamic variables obtained from retrospective computed tomography angiography for ability to predict thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) outcomes in patients with complicated type B aortic dissection (cTBAD).Materials and MethodsSeventy-nine patients with cTBAD who received TEVAR from March 2009 to June 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. Relative true lumen area (r-TLA) was computed at the level of tracheal bifurcation every 5% of all R-R intervals. Parameters that reflect the state of intimal motion were evaluated, including difference between maximum and minimum r-TLA (D-TLA) and true lumen collapse. The endpoints comprised early (≤ 30 days) and late (> 30 days) outcomes after intervention.ResultsOverall early mortality rate was 13.9% (11/79), and early adverse events rate was 24.1% (19/79). Patients who received TEVAR within 2 days of symptom onset demonstrated the worst outcomes. A longer time of r-TLA < 25% in 1 cardiac cycle (P = .049) and larger D-TLA (P < .001) were correlated to an increased early death. In addition, D-TLA was an independent predictor of early mortality. Area under the curve of D-TLA was 0.849 (95% confidence interval 0.730–0.967) for predicting early mortality and 0.742 (95% CI 0.611–0.873) for predicting early adverse events. Survival and event-free survival rates during follow-up were decreased in the D-TLA > 21.5% group compared with the D-TLA ≤ 21.5% group (all P < .001).ConclusionsLarger D-TLA is correlated with worse postoperative outcomes and might be a crucial parameter for future risk stratification in patients with cTBAD.     

Multiple pipeline embolization devices improves aneurysm occlusion without increasing morbidity: A single center experience of 140 cases

IntroductionRates of aneurysm occlusion with the pipeline embolization device (PED) has varied widely in the literature from 55.7% to 93.3% at 6 months, which may reflect a difference in technique including sizing and number of devices used.Methods140 cases at our institution were retrospectively reviewed, and aneurysms treated with a single PED vs. multiple were compared.ResultsComplete aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 86.9% at 6 months, 91.8% at 1 year, and 97.6% at longest follow-up. Retreatment with an additional device was required in 7 (5.1%). Major and minor complication rate within 30 days was 1.4% and 5.0%, and at greater than 30 days was 0.8% and 3.1%.Patients treated with multiple PEDs had significantly higher rates of aneurysm occlusion at 6 months (92.9% vs. 75.6%, p = 0.017) and 12 months (98.4% vs. 81.1%, p = 0.014), with no difference in complications. The two groups were similar aside from a higher number of ophthalmic and paraophthalmic aneurysms treated with multiple PEDs (23.4% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.004; and 35.1% vs. 17.4%, p = 0.020), and more posterior communicating artery and recurrent aneurysms treated with a single PED (28.3% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.001; 23.9% vs. 8.5%, p = 0.031). The use of multiple PEDs was found to be an independent predictor of aneurysm occlusion in a multivariate analysis (p = 0.015).ConclusionsThe use of multiple PEDs for intracranial aneurysms leads to significantly higher occlusion rates without added morbidity. This benefit is particularly appropriate for ophthalmic segment aneurysms, while more distal segments with eloquent perforating branches should be managed with caution.     

风心病并发脑栓塞病人的瓣膜替换术

报告６４例风心病并发脑栓塞病人的瓣膜替换术。术前心功能Ｉ级１０例、ＩＩ级３８例、ＩＶ级１６例。伴房颤者５４例。脑栓塞史半年以上者４４例，６个月以内２０例，其中２个月以内者１４例。３４例有程度不同的脑栓塞后遗症。行二尖瓣替换术４７例、双瓣膜替换术１７例，同期行三尖瓣环环缩或成形术４３例。术中证实有左房血栓２５例（３９％）。手术死亡率６．２５％。术后并发颅内出血和栓塞各１例。结果表明风心病并发脑栓塞病人的手术效果良好。作者指出，脑栓塞２个月以上者应尽早手术，２个月以内者则应根据脑栓塞程度、恢复情况及有无左房血栓，选择手术时机。并介绍了围术期的处理经验。     

复合带瓣人工血管替换升主动脉和主动脉瓣(24例报告)

报告２４例升主动脉瘤伴主动脉瓣关闭不全行升主动脉和主动脉瓣替换及冠状动脉开口移植术（Ｂｅｎｔａｌ术２２例，底盘法２例）。１３例伴有升主动脉夹层分离，对其中８例ＤｅＢａｋｅｙＩ型者，以Ｔｅｆｌｏｎ毡条内外加固主动脉切端后吻合。１３例用人工血管周围间隙与右心耳吻合以控制升主动脉吻合之外的出血。３例以人工血管片环包主动脉吻合口控制局部广泛渗血及出血。２例术毕不能脱离体外循环死亡，手术死亡率８３％。随访平均２１８个月，２例死于蛛网膜下腔出血，１例右股动脉栓塞经手术治愈；其余病人康复良好，心功能（ＮＹＨＡ）Ｉ～ＩＩ级。     

The Effect of Second-Trimester Antibiotic Therapy on the Rate of Preterm Birth

ObjectiveAs many as 50% of spontaneous preterm births are infection-related, with Mycoplasma species being the most common microbial isolates from the amniotic cavity. The goal of our study was to evaluate the effect of macrolides, a specific group of antibiotics known to be effective against Mycoplasma species, on the rate of preterm births.MethodsWe performed a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, Medline (1965–March 2006), Embase, and the Cochrane Library, using the key words “pregnancy,” “macrolides,” “erythromycin,” “azithromycin,” and “clarithromycin.” The research was limited to randomized controlled trials and to human females. Studies included for analysis were of women in the second trimester of pregnancy who received either macrolides or placebo (or no treatment) in order to prevent preterm delivery with at least 95% of patient follow-up. We excluded studies involving women with preterm premature rupture of membranes or regular uterine contractions. Meta-analysis of the retrieved data was performed using RevMan 4.2.8 (Cochrane Collaboration) with dichotomous analyses and delivery prior to 37 weeks’ gestation as the primary outcome. The analysis was subsequently repeated using the same methodology for clindamycin and metronidazole administered during the second trimester.ResultsOf the 61 articles yielded by our search, three original papers, investigating a total of 1807 women, examined macrolide utilization and met our criteria. Women included in our analysis were all considered to be at higher risk for preterm delivery (vaginal fetal fibronectin positivity, urogenital Mycoplasma infection, prior preterm delivery, and/or pregestational maternal weight < 50 kg). Compared with placebo, macrolides were associated with a lower rate of preterm births (odds ratio [OR] 0.72; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.56–0.93), as was clindamycin (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.49–0.95). On the other hand, metronidazole (OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.95–1.29) was not linked with significant changes in the rate of preterm births. A higher rate of preterm delivery was found when mid-trimester metronidazole was the only antibiotic administered (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08–1.58).ConclusionMacrolides and clindamycin, given during the second trimester of pregnancy, are associated with a lower rate of preterm delivery, whereas second-trimester metronidazole used alone is linked with a greater risk of preterm delivery in a high-risk population. Use of metronidazole, a common treatment for bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis, should be avoided during the second trimester of pregnancy in this population.