Long-term outcomes of rigid ring versus De Vega annuloplasty for functional tricuspid regurgitation: A propensity score-matching analysis

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to compare the outcomes of rigid ring versus De Vega annuloplasty for the treatment of functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR).MethodsFrom 2003 to 2017, De Vega annuloplasty (group D) was used in 231 patients, and rigid ring annuloplasty (group R) was used in 204 patients for the treatment of functional TR during left-sided valve surgery. A propensity score-matching analysis was used to pair group D (n = 109) with group R (n = 109). The primary outcomes were long-term overall survival and cardiac death, and the secondary outcomes were tricuspid valve-related events and TR recurrence (TR moderate or severe). The follow-up data were complete in 99.6% (447 out of 449) of the patients with a follow-up duration of 102 months.ResultsThere were no differences in the overall survival and cardiac death between the propensity score-matched groups (P = .793 and P = .175, respectively) up to 14 years after surgery. Tricuspid valve-related events, including cardiac death, permanent pacemaker implantation, thromboembolism, bleeding and tricuspid valve reoperation were also similar between the 2 matched groups during the follow-up (P > .999). However, cumulative incidence of TR recurrence was significantly higher in group R than in group D (P = .007). Multivariate analysis indicated the annuloplasty method (De Vega) and preoperative TR grade as risk factors for late TR recurrence.ConclusionsIn functional TR, annuloplasty methods did not influence long-term overall survival, cardiac mortality, and tricuspid valve-related events. However, rigid ring annuloplasty showed less late TR recurrence. Rigid ring annuloplasty can be considered for the treatment of functional TR in terms of its better durability.     

Maternal critical care in resource-limited settings. Narrative review

Maternal critical care reflects interdisciplinary care in any hospital area according to the severity of illness of the pregnant woman. The admission rate to intensive care units is below 1% (0.08–0.76%) of deliveries in high-income countries, and ranges from 0.13% to 4.6% in low- and middle-income countries. Mortality in these patients is high and varies from 0% to 4.9% of admissions in high-income countries, and from 2% to 43.6% in low- and middle-income countries. Obstetric haemorrhage, sepsis, preeclampsia, human immunodeficiency virus complications and tropical diseases are the main reasons for intensive care unit admission in low middle-income countries. Bedside assessment tools, such as early warning scores, may help to identify critically ill patients and those at risk of deterioration.There is a lack of uniformity in definitions, identification and treatment of critically ill pregnant patients, especially in resource-limited settings. Our aims were to (i) propose a more practical definition of maternal critical care, (ii) discuss maternal mortality in the setting of limited accessibility of critical care units, (iii) provide some accessible tools to improve identification of obstetric patients who may become critically ill, and (iv) confront challenges in providing maternal critical care in resource-limited settings.To improve maternal critical care, training programmes should embrace modern technological educational aids and incorporate new tools and technologies that assist prediction of critical illness in the pregnant patient. The goal must be improved outcomes following early interventions, early initiation of resuscitation, and early transfer to an appropriate level of care, whenever possible.     

肝内胆管癌肝切除术后“教科书式结局”影响因素分析及预测模型建立

目的 分析肝内胆管癌（ICC）病人肝切除术后“教科书式结局”（TO）的影响因素，构建预测TO评分模型。方法 回顾性分析2011年1月至2017年1月东南大学附属中大医院和中国人民解放军东部战区总医院八一医院收治的261例行肝切除术的ICC病人临床病理资料，分析影响TO的独立危险因素，根据危险因素的权重构建预测TO的评分模型。结果 261例ICC病人中，67例（25.7%）术后发生TO。年龄、肝硬化、手术时间和T分期［第8版美国癌症联合委员会（AJCC）癌症分期］为术后TO的独立预测因素。依此4项因素构建的评分模型显示了较好的预测准确性，最佳截断值为-1.9分，其敏感度为67.2%，特异度为62.9%。一致性检验显示其预测概率和实际发生概率有着较好的一致性（χ2=1.350，P=0.853）。结论 基于年龄、肝硬化、手术时间、T分期4个因素建立的评分模型可较准确地预测ICC病人术后TO的可能性，即手术时间短、无肝硬化、肿瘤直径<5 cm的年轻ICC病人肝切除后获得TO的可能性更大。