Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveNew-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery is common, with rates up to 60%. POAF has been associated with early and late stroke, but its association with other cardiovascular outcomes is less known. The objective was to perform a meta-analysis of the studies reporting the association of POAF with perioperative and long-term outcomes in patients with cardiac surgery.MethodsWe performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies that presented outcomes for cardiac surgery on the basis of the presence or absence of POAF. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were assessed; 57 studies (246,340 patients) were selected. Perioperative mortality was the primary outcome. Inverse variance method and random model were performed. Leave-one-out analysis, subgroup analyses, and metaregression were conducted.ResultsPOAF was associated with perioperative mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.33), perioperative stroke (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.90-2.49), perioperative myocardial infarction (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.54), perioperative acute renal failure (OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 2.42-3.11), hospital (standardized mean difference, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.53-1.07) and intensive care unit stay (standardized mean difference, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.24-0.86), long-term mortality (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.54; 95% CI, 1.40-1.69), long-term stroke (IRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.21-1.46), and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (IRR, 4.73; 95% CI, 3.36-6.66).ConclusionsThe results suggest that POAF after cardiac surgery is associated with an increased occurrence of most short- and long-term cardiovascular adverse events. However, the causality of this association remains to be established.     

熊磊教授基于“脾为痰源”辨治儿童癫痫临证思路探赜

熊磊教授以理脾为本，将治痰贯穿始终。根据小儿脾常不足、肾常虚、肝常有余的生理特点，癫痫发作期治疗主以涤痰开窍，辅以理气健脾，同时配合活血化瘀通窍与平肝息风潜阳。主要选方为柴芍温胆汤、天麻钩藤饮、桃红四物汤加减；缓解期则以补肾养肝为主，兼以健脾化痰，主要选方为杞菊地黄丸合定痫丸加减，取得较好临床疗效。     

中药对癫痫相关信号通路调控作用的研究进展

癫痫是一种常见的神经系统疾病，其反复发作，迁延难愈，对患者的身心造成极大危害。抗癫痫药带来良好的治疗作用的同时也伴发着诸多身心损伤的不良反应。中医药治疗癫痫由来已久，目前除不断丰富传统中医理论治疗癫痫的认知理论外，从分子生物学角度研究中医药治疗癫痫的细胞信号传导机制发展迅速。通过对国内外文献检索发现，癫痫发生与细胞增殖、凋亡、自噬、炎症反应、免疫应答等病理生理过程密切相关；同时中西药的现代医学研究表明，无论是中药单体、单味中药甚至中药复方治疗癫痫的机制的研究均与文中所述信号通路有着直接或间接的关系，其可以通过调控相应信号通路的关键分子表达，达到抑制癫痫发生，控制癫痫发作，保护癫痫脑损伤的作用。该文通过对国内外研究现状进行总结，具体如下：①桔皮素，银杏内酯B等能通过激活磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B（PI3K/Akt）信号通路，抑制凋亡及氧化应激反应。②黄芩苷，蛇床子素等能通过抑制哺乳动物-雷帕霉素靶蛋白（mTOR）信号通路，抑制自噬。③灵芝多糖，黄芪甲苷等能通过抑制丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）信号通路，减少细胞凋亡。④红景天苷，白藜芦醇等能通过激活核因子E2相关因子2/抗氧化反应元件/血红素加氧酶1（Nrf2/ARE/HO-1）信号通路，抗氧化应激反应及抑制凋亡。⑤姜黄素，黄芩苷等能通过抑制核转录因子-κB（NF-κB）信号通路，降低炎症反应及减少凋亡。以上总结旨在为中药治疗癫痫的深入研究提供参考依据，也为临床中药治疗癫痫提供新的思路。     

Epilepsy and pregnancy: What should the neurologists do?

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic disorders affecting women of childbearing age. Unfortunately, many women with epilepsy (WWE) still report not receiving key information about pregnancy. They obviously need information about epilepsy and pregnancy prior to conception with a particular emphasis on effective birth control (i.e. contraception), necessity to plan pregnancy, antiepileptic drugs optimization, and folate supplementation. The risks associated with use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy have to be balanced against fetal and maternal risks associated with uncontrolled seizures. This report reviews evidence-based counseling and management strategies concerning maternal and fetal risks associated with seizures, teratogenic risks associated with antiepileptic drug exposure with a special emphasis on developmental and behavioural outcomes of children exposed to intra utero antiepileptic drugs.     

Differentiating ictal/subclinical spikes and waves in childhood absence epilepsy by spectral and network analyses: A pilot study

ObjectiveChildhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a disease with distinct seizure semiology and electroencephalographic (EEG) features. Differentiating ictal and subclinical generalized spikes and waves discharges (GSWDs) in the EEG is challenging, since they appear to be identical upon visual inspection. Here, spectral and functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied to routine EEG data of CAE patients, to differentiate ictal and subclinical GSWDs.MethodsTwelve CAE patients with both ictal and subclinical GSWDs were retrospectively selected for this study. The selected EEG epochs were subjected to frequency analysis in the range of 1–30 Hz. Further, FC analysis based on the imaginary part of coherency was used to determine sensor level networks.ResultsDelta, alpha and beta band frequencies during ictal GSWDs showed significantly higher power compared to subclinical GSWDs. FC showed significant network differences for all frequency bands, demonstrating weaker connectivity between channels during ictal GSWDs.ConclusionUsing spectral and FC analyses significant differences between ictal and subclinical GSWDs in CAE patients were detected, suggesting that these features could be used for machine learning classification purposes to improve EEG monitoring.SignificanceIdentifying differences between ictal and subclinical GSWDs using routine EEG, may improve understanding of this syndrome and the management of patients with CAE.