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.     

北方社区中老年人群血浆中同型半胱氨酸水平与视网膜血管直径的相关性研究

目的　探讨中老年人血浆中同型半胱氨酸（homocysteine，Hcy）水平与视网膜血管直径之间的关系。方法　本研究为横断面研究，研究人群为开滦研究中参加2012-2013年健康体检人群（年龄≥40岁），其中行眼底彩照者3447人，应用软件分析视网膜血管直径。最终纳入统计分析共3401人，分析血浆中Hcy水平对视网膜中央动脉直径（central retinal artery equivalent，CRAE）、视网膜中央静脉直径（central retinal vein equivalent，CRVE）和动静脉比（arteriovenous ratio，AVR）的影响。将基线Hcy水平四分位分组，用 Logistic 回归分析不同Hcy水平分组对AVR的影响。结果　本研究共入选3401人，其中男1910人、女1491人，年龄（56.81±10.17）岁，Hcy为0.09~70.60（15.27±9.11）mmol·L^-1，其中CRAE为（174.29±24.59）μm，CRVE为（281.74±28.66）μm，AVR 为0.62±0.11。Hcy四分位数分别为9.50 mmol·L^-1、13.30 mmol·L^-1和18.20 mmol·L^-1。Spearman相关分析显示，血浆中Hcy水平与CRAE呈负相关（r=-0.125，P<0.001），与CRVE呈负相关（r=-0.093，P<0.001），Hcy与AVR呈负相关（r=-0.050，P=0.004）。将Hcy分别和CRAE、CRVE和AVR进行多因素线性回归分析显示，Hcy是CRAE（β=-0.147）、CRVE（β=-0.120）的影响因素（均为P<0.05）。Logistic回归分析不同Hcy分位值对AVR的影响发现，其不是AVR的危险因素。性别分层后进一步行多因素线性回归分析发现，男性血浆中Hcy水平与CRAE（β=-0.132）、CRVE（β=-0.136）均有相关性（均为P<0.05）。结论　CRAE和CRVE均随着血浆中Hcy水平的增加而变窄，而这种现象似乎只发生在男性人群中。     

How does ballet training alter ankle tendinous morphology and hemodynamics in asymptomatic pre-professional dancers? An ultrasonographic study

Objectives

Among symptomatic dancers, sonographic abnormalities are common. Whether asymptomatic dancers have any abnormalities remains unknown. Some dancers became cyanosis over distal feet after ballet training. The hemodynamic changes at the feet in ballet are not clearly understood.

Haemodynamic profiles of etomidate vs propofol for induction of anaesthesia: a randomised controlled trial in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Background

Etomidate is frequently selected over propofol for induction of anaesthesia because of a putatively favourable haemodynamic profile, but data confirming this perception are limited.

Is routine extubation overnight safe in cardiac surgery patients?

Objectives

Expedient extubation after cardiac surgery has been associated with improved outcomes, leading to postoperative extubation frequently during overnight hours. However, recent evidence in a mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit population demonstrated worse outcomes with overnight extubation. This study investigated the impact of overnight extubation in a statewide, multicenter Society of Thoracic Surgeons database.

The relationships among monocyte subsets,miRNAs and inflammatory cytokines in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causes irreversible myocardial damage and release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines and miRNAs. We aimed to investigate changes in the levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10), miRNAs profiles (miR-146 and miR-155) and distribution of different monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16-, CD14++CD16+, CD14+CD16++) in the acute and post-healing phases of AMI.