Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty for the Treatment of Nonoperable Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Single-Center Experience with Low Initial Complication Rate

PurposeTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for nonoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients during the initial experience of a single center.MethodsA total of 18 CTEPH patients (5 with residual pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy) were treated with BPA during the period 2014–2018 and were retrospectively reviewed. Mean age was 61 ± 19 years; 55% were female; mean pulmonary artery pressure was 44 ± 12 mmHg; cardiac output was 4.3 ± 1.0 l/min; and pulmonary vascular resistance was 8.4 ± 3.6 WU. Patients were evaluated by New York Heart Association functional class, 6-minute walk distance, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide, echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and before and after completions of BPA.ResultsA total of 91 procedures were performed, with a median number of 4 BPA sessions per patient (range, 2–8). There were no deaths or major complications requiring extracorporeal support or (non)invasive ventilation. The most common complication was self-limiting hemoptysis (3%). According to Society of Interventional Radiology classification, 4 mild, 4 moderate, and 1 severe adverse events were noted. Invasive hemodynamics significantly improved, with a cardiac index increase of 15% (P = .0333), decrease of mean pulmonary artery pressure of 30% (P = .0013), and decrease of pulmonary vascular resistance of 45% (P = .0048). Stroke volume index (P = .0171) and pulmonary arterial compliance (P = .0004) were also significantly enhanced.ConclusionsBPA significantly improves cardiopulmonary hemodynamics with an acceptable safety profile. Further studies assessing the long-term efficacy of BPA are required.     

Postoperative development of sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and upper gastric cancer

Background

There were few studies assessed the postoperative sarcopenia in patients with cancers. The objective of present study was to assess whether postoperative development of sarcopenia could predict a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, (AEG) and upper gastric cancer (UGC).

Assessing the impact of blood alcohol concentration on the rate of in-hospital mortality following traumatic motor vehicle crash injury: A matched analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank

Background

The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of trauma patients who were injured in a motor vehicle crash and tested positive for alcohol upon hospital arrival versus those who tested negative.

基于零缺陷管理理论构建肝胆外科加速康复评价指标体系

目的构建适用于肝胆外科的加速康复评价指标体系,为加速康复外科实施效果提供评价工具。方法在零缺陷管理理论基础上,通过文献查阅、德尔菲专家咨询法构建肝胆外科加速康复评价指标体系。结果 2轮问卷回收率均为100%,专家权威系数分别为0.920、0.919。经过2轮专家咨询,最终构建的肝胆外科加速康复评价指标体系包括3个一级指标,8个二级指标,39个三级指标;指标重要性评分均4分,变异系数0～0.166;并确定各级指标权重。结论肝胆外科加速康复评价指标体系构建合理,有较好的可信度,经验证后可作为肝胆外科加速康复质量评价工具。     

A randomized controlled trial of the effect of spironolactone on left ventricular mass in hemodialysis patients

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刮痧力度及时间间隔对刮痧效果的影响

目的:观察不同力度对刮痧效果的影响,初步探讨刮痧的作用机制以及效应周期,进一步探究刮痧治疗的最佳间隔时间。方法:用自制的特殊刮痧板控制使刮痧频次等参数保持一致,分别以1N、3N和9N的力进行刮痧,通过ELISA方法检测刮痧后IL-1α、IL-6的变化,结合皮肤HE染色法探究不同力度刮痧对机体的影响,选择适合的刮痧力度,通过血常规和流式细胞术检测刮痧后不同时间点的白细胞总数、淋巴细胞总数及T细胞亚群等的变化,初步探讨刮痧的作用机制和效应周期。结果:1N的力度刮痧未引起明显的变化,9N的力度刮痧造成了较严重的皮肤损伤和大量炎性反应因子释放,3N的力度刮痧较为适中,引起了机体适度的应激反应。以3N的力度刮痧后,血液中白细胞总数和淋巴细胞总数及IL-1α、IL-6缓慢升高,在1 h到24 h之间达到峰值,之后缓慢下降,在72 h左右恢复正常水平。结论:3N的力比较适合于刮痧实验,在刮痧之后1 h到24 h,刮痧对免疫系统的增强作用达到峰值,在72 h左右回归正常值,初步提示可以开始下一次刮痧治疗。     

The association between body mass index and in-hospital outcome among patients with acute myocardial infarction—Insights from China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) registry

BackgroundThe relationship between body mass index (BMI) and in-hospital mortality risk among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains controversial.Methods and ResultsWe included 35,964 patients diagnosed with AMI in China Acute Myocardial Infarction registry between January 2013 and December 2016. Patients were categorized into 4 groups according to BMI level: BMI <18.5, 18.5–24.9, 25–30, and ≥30 kg/m² for underweight, normal, overweight, and obese groups, respectively. Clinical data were extracted for each patient, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between BMI level and in-hospital mortality. Compared with normal-weight patients, obese patients were younger, more often current smokers, and more likely to have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. Multivariable regression analysis results demonstrated that compared with normal group, underweight group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–1.69; p = 0.016), while overweight group (OR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.77–0.97; p = 0.011) and obese group (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.46–0.91; p = 0.013) had lower mortality. All subgroups showed a trend toward lower in-hospital mortality risk as BMI increased.ConclusionsOur study provided robust evidence supporting “obesity paradox” in a contemporary large-scale cohort of patients with AMI and demonstrated that increased BMI was independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality.