Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Systems

Recent progress and evolution in device engineering, surgical implantation practices, and periprocedural management have advanced the promise of durable support with left ventricular assist systems (LVAS) in patients with stage D heart failure. With greater uptake of LVAS globally, a growing population of LVAS recipients have pre-existing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Strategies for optimal clinical management of CIEDs in patients with durable LVAS are evolving, and clinicians will increasingly face complex decisions regarding implantation, programming, deactivation, and removal of CIEDs. Traditional decision-making pathways for CIEDs may not apply to LVAS-supported patients, as few patients die of arrhythmic causes and many arrhythmias may be well tolerated. Given limited data, treatment decisions must be individualized and made collaboratively among electrophysiologists, advanced heart failure specialists, and patients and their caregivers. Large, prospective, well-conducted studies are needed to better understand the contemporary utility of CIEDs in patients with newer-generation LVAS.     

Turned versus anodised dental implants: a meta‐analysis

The aim of this meta‐analysis was to test the null hypothesis of no difference in the implant failure rates, marginal bone loss (MBL)and post‐operative infection for patients being rehabilitated by turned versus anodised‐surface implants, against the alternative hypothesis of a difference. An electronic search without time or language restrictions was undertaken in November 2015. Eligibility criteria included clinical human studies, either randomised or not. Thirty‐eight publications were included. The results suggest a risk ratio of 2·82 (95% CI 1·95–4·06, P < 0·00001) for failure of turned implants, when compared to anodised‐surface implants. Sensitivity analyses showed similar results when only the studies inserting implants in maxillae or mandibles were pooled. There were no statistically significant effects of turned implants on the MBL (mean difference‐MD 0·02, 95%CI ?0·16–0·20; P = 0·82) in comparison to anodised implants. The results of a meta‐regression considering the follow‐up period as a covariate suggested an increase of the MD with the increase in the follow‐up time (MD increase 0·012 mm year^?1), however, without a statistical significance (P = 0·813). Due to lack of satisfactory information, meta‐analysis for the outcome ‘post‐operative infection’ was not performed. The results have to be interpreted with caution due to the presence of several confounding factors in the included studies.     

Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy:a systematic review简

Critical illness polyneuropathy and critical illness myopathy are frequent complications of severe illness that involve sensorimotor axons and skeletal muscles, respectively. Clinically, they manifest as limb and respiratory muscle weakness. Critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy in isolation or combination increases intensive care unit morbidity via the inability or difficulty in weaning these patients off mechanical ventilation. Many patients continue to suffer from decreased exercise capacity and compromised quality of life for months to years after the acute event. Substantial progress has been made lately in the understanding of the pathophysiology of critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy. Clinical and ancillary test results should be carefully interpreted to differentiate critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy from similar weaknesses in this patient population. The present review is aimed at providing the latest knowledge concerning the pathophysiology of critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy along with relevant clinical, diagnostic, differentiating, and treatment information for this debilitat- ing neurological disease.     

Phosphorylation of Ribosomal Protein S6 Mediates Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1–Induced Parathyroid Cell Proliferation in Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Secondary hyperparathyroidism is characterized by increased serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) level and parathyroid cell proliferation. However, the molecular pathways mediating the increased parathyroid cell proliferation remain undefined. Here, we found that the mTOR pathway was activated in the parathyroid of rats with secondary hyperparathyroidism induced by either chronic hypocalcemia or uremia, which was measured by increased phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6), a downstream target of the mTOR pathway. This activation correlated with increased parathyroid cell proliferation. Inhibition of mTOR complex 1 by rapamycin decreased or prevented parathyroid cell proliferation in secondary hyperparathyroidism rats and in vitro in uremic rat parathyroid glands in organ culture. Knockin rpS6^p−/− mice, in which rpS6 cannot be phosphorylated because of substitution of all five phosphorylatable serines with alanines, had impaired PTH secretion after experimental uremia- or folic acid–induced AKI. Uremic rpS6^p−/− mice had no increase in parathyroid cell proliferation compared with a marked increase in uremic wild–type mice. These results underscore the importance of mTOR activation and rpS6 phosphorylation for the pathogenesis of secondary hyperparathyroidism and indicate that mTORC1 is a significant regulator of parathyroid cell proliferation through rpS6.     

左室射血分数正常患者右室心尖起搏后心力衰竭相关基因表达水平变化的研究

目的：右室心尖(RVA)起搏可导致心室重构及心力衰竭。本研究探讨RVA起搏是否引起心力衰竭相关的基因表达水平的变化。 方法：选取80例因三度房室传导阻滞行永久起搏器植入术的心功能正常患者，随机1:1分为右室心尖起搏组和右室间隔部(RVS)起搏组，术前抽取外周血，测定心肌肌浆网Ca2+-ATP酶(SERCA)和 视神经萎缩症蛋白(OPAl)的mRNA表达水平，测定NT-proBNP，行超声心动图检查。术后1、6及12个月进行常规起搏器随访,并测定SERCA和 OPAl的mRNA表达水平，测定NT-proBNP，行超声心动图检查。 结果：与术前比较，RVA起搏组术后1月，6月及12月SERCA和OPA1 mRNA表达水平明显下降(P均<0.05)，起搏器植入术后12月，RVA和RVS组间SERCA、OPA1 mRNA表达水平差异有统计学意义(P=0.028；P=0.034)。RVA起搏组术后12月与术前比较，LVEF值下降有统计学差异(P=0.012)，而RVS起搏组LVEF值下降无统计学差异(P>0.05)。与术前比较，RVA起搏组术后12月的SERCA 和OPA1 mRNA表达水平变化与LVEF值变化呈正相关（r=0.529，95％ CI：0.113-0.287, P=0.017；r=0.495，95％CI：0.028-0.788，P=0.044)。RVA起搏术后12月心功能减低组的SERCA、OPAl的mRNA表达水平较无心功能减低组明显下降，差异有统计学意义（P=0.022；P=0.035）。 结论：RVA起搏术后外周血SERCA、OPAl的mRNA表达水平发生变化，这种基因表达水平的变化先于心脏结构及功能改变，而且可能与心功能减低相关。     

老年重症心力衰竭急诊内科治疗效果探析

目的观察老年重症心力衰竭病人实施急诊内科治疗后的效果，并对其临床意义进行总结。方法随机选取2010年6月一2012年6月2年期间某医院急诊内科门诊接受治疗的32例老年重症心力衰竭病人。并将其随机分为两组，即观察组（16例）与对照组（16例），观察组病人，给予厄贝沙坦氢氯噻嗪，并结合关托洛尔进行治疗；对照组病人，给予美托洛尔进行治疗。然后对两组病人的临床治疗效果实施观察。结果观察组中治疗总有效率达到了89．1％，而对照组中治疗总有效率达到了69．2％，对两组患者的死亡率与疗效进行对比，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论老年重症心力衰竭病人进行厄贝沙坦氢氯噻嗪并辅以美托洛尔治疗效果明显。     

Failure of eruption of first permanent molar teeth: a diagnostic challenge

Ankylosis, mechanical and primary failure of eruption of molar teeth are rare and often difficult to distinguish between. All may have significant repercussions on the occlusion and successful management may involve invasive procedures. We present a case where an initial presentation characteristic of mechanical failure of eruption (ankylosis) of a first permanent molar tooth was excluded following a period of monitoring. Subsequent relief of crowding using a removable and then sectional fixed orthodontic appliance allowed spontaneous eruption of the tooth obviating the need for surgical intervention. This case highlights the utilisation of conservative treatment options until a diagnosis was confirmed to minimise the risk of iatrogenic damage and unnecessary treatment.