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.     

基于网络药理学和分子对接技术探讨黄芪干预腹膜纤维化的机制

目的 运用网络药理学方法及分子对接技术探讨黄芪干预腹膜纤维化的可能机制。方法 利用中药系统药理学数据库及分析平台(TCMSP)检索黄芪的主要化学成分及靶点,并补充文献报道相关药理作用的成分作为潜在活性成分。以"peritoneal fibrosis"为关键词分别在OMIM、Genecards获取目前已知的与腹膜纤维化相关的疾病靶点,后取两者的交集靶点;对交集基因通过STRING数据库与Cytoscape 3.7.2软件构建"药物-成分-靶点-疾病"网络及蛋白互作(PPI)网络并筛选核心网络。基于R软件使用Bioconductor生物信息软件对核心靶点进行GO及KEGG富集分析,最终采用AutoDock软件将主要有效成分与核心靶点进行分子对接,得出其结合能力。结果 筛选出20个黄芪活性成分及文献报道有相关药理作用4个, 457药物作用靶点,与674个腹膜纤维化病靶点取交集,得到86个共同靶点。GO功能富集分析提示黄芪拮抗腹膜纤维化主要参与了蛋白激酶B信号转导的调节、细胞对化学的应激反应、炎症反应的调节等通路; KEGG通路富集分析主要涉及调控肿瘤、磷脂酰肌醇-3-羟激酶-蛋白激酶B(PI3K-Akt)、晚期糖基化终末产物/晚期糖基化终末产物受体(AGE-RAGE)、人类巨细胞病毒感染、HIF-1信号通路等;分子对接结果显示关键靶点与活性成分具有较好的结合能力。结论 黄芪治疗腹膜纤维化的分子机制,可能与抑制炎症及氧化应激反应、调节多种信号通路等相关。     

特发性肺纤维化急性加重期证候与血清生物标志物的相关性研究＊

目的 通过分析特发性肺纤维化急性加重期（AE-IPF）患者证候与血清生物标志物的关系，为中医辨证治疗提供参考。方法 采用观察性研究设计，收集2019年3月至2019年11月三个中心的AE-IPF患者76例，其中痰热壅肺证26例、痰浊阻肺证50例，并纳入健康志愿者10例作为对照。采用ELISA测定患者血清CCL18、HMGB1、KL-6、MMP-7、SP-A和SP-D水平，分析与中医证候的相关性。结果 AE-IPF患者血清CCL18、HMGB1、KL-6、MMP-7、SP-A和SP-D水平均显著高于健康对照组。血清CCL18、HMGB1、KL-6、MMP-7和SP-D水平在痰热壅肺证和痰浊阻肺证患者间无显著性差异（P＞0.05），而血清SP-A水平存在显著性差异（P＜0.05）。结论 血清SP-A与AE-IPF证候存在一定的相关性，血清SP-A的浓度升高，与痰热壅肺证关系越密切，反之，血清SP-A浓度降低，则与痰浊阻肺证关系越密切。AE-IPF痰热壅肺证患者的预后可能较痰浊阻肺证患者更差。     

适量运动对心房颤动患者预后的影响:系统综述与Meta分析

目的 分析适量运动对于心房颤动(房颤)患者的运动能力以及远期临床预后的影响。方法 通过检索中国知网,万方,维普,Pubmed,OVID,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL),web of science数据库,纳入对房颤患者进行适量体育活动干预的临床试验。本研究的主要终点为静息心率,最大心率,6 min步行试验,最大运动功率,全因死亡率以及卒中发生率,用以评估适量运动对房颤患者活动耐力以及预后的影响。结果 本研究共纳入7项试验,2 452例患者,试验组为适量运动干预组,对照组为不活跃组。适量运动并不会显著增加患者的静息心率(MD=-1.68,P=0.70)以及最大心率(RD=9.72,P=0.11)。运动训练可显著提高房颤患者的运动能力,明显增加6 min步行距离(MD=59.07,95%CI=11.70-106.44,P<0.05),并且在一定程度上提高运动功率(MD=17.96,95%CI=-6.30-42.22,P=0.15)。适量运动对房颤患者的远期预后不会造成不良影响,适量运动组对比不活跃组,全因死亡率为15.7% vs 14.2%(RD=0.03,95%CI=-0.18-0.25,P=0.75);卒中发生率5.0% vs 2.9%(RD=0.02,95%CI=-0.06-0.09,P=0.69),两组差异无统计学意义。结论 适量运动可在一定程度上提高房颤患的活动耐力,且不增加卒中以及全因死亡率。     

Overview of CF lung pathophysiology

Defects of the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein affect the homeostasis of chloride, bicarbonate, sodium, and water in the airway surface liquid, influencing the mucus composition and viscosity, which induces a severe condition of infection and inflammation along the whole life of CF patients. The introduction of CFTR modulators, novel drugs directly intervening to rescue the function of CFTR protein, opens a new era of experimental research. The review summarizes the most recent advancements to understand the characteristics of the infective and inflammatory pathology of CF lungs.     

益气活血法联合西药治疗肺纤维化疗效及安全性Meta分析＊

目的 系统评价益气活血法联合西药治疗特发性肺纤维化（idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis，IPF）的疗效及安全性。方法 系统检索中国知网、维普网、万方数据库、EMbase、PubMed、Cochrane Library图书馆等数据库，检索时限从数据库建库至2021年1月，纳入益气活血法联合西药治疗特发性肺纤维化的随机对照试验（randomized controlled trial，RCT），由2名研究人员独立筛选并交叉核对纳入结果，提取有效数据后，应用RevMan 5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果 纳入16项随机对照试验共计1160例IPF患者。分析结果显示益气活血法联合西药组可提高临床总有效率（OR= 3.71，95% CI ［2.68，5.14］，P<0.00001）；改善患者肺功能：用力肺活量（MD=0.31，95% CI ［0.23，0.38］，P<0.00001）（MD=3.59，95% CI ［1.51，5.66］，P=0.0007），一氧化碳弥散量（MD=2.54，95% CI ［1.83，3.25］，P<0.00001）；提高生活质量，降低圣乔治评分：呼吸困难（MD=-12.70，95% CI ［-21.07，-4.32］，P=0.003），活动能力（MD=-8.38，95% CI ［-13.66，-3.10］，P=0.002），疾病影响（MD=-13.87，95% CI ［-22.53，-5.22］，P=0.002）；并可降低患者中医症状积分：喘息（MD=-0.66，95% CI ［-0.84，-0.49］，P<0.00001），咳嗽（MD=-0.71，95% CI ［-1.04，-0.37］，P<0.0001）；有效提高动脉血氧分压（MD=5.92，95% CI ［4.61，7.22］，P<0.00001）；且不增加不良事件发生率（OR=0.55，95% CI ［0.27，1.14］，P=0.11）。结论 益气活血法联合西药治疗IPF可提高临床治疗有效率，改善患者生活质量，且不增加临床不良事件（便秘、嗜睡、口干、恶心呕吐、皮肤瘙痒、腹泻等）发生率。但本研究纳入文献质量参差不齐，仍需更多大样本、高质量、多中心的RCT试验验证结论。     

Quantification of myocardial fibrosis using noninvasive T2-mapping magnetic resonance imaging: Preclinical models of aging and pressure overload

Noninvasive imaging of cardiac fibrosis is important for early diagnosis and intervention in chronic heart diseases. Here, we investigated whether noninvasive, contrast agent-free MRI T₂-mapping can quantify myocardial fibrosis in preclinical models of aging and pressure overload. Myocardial fibrosis and remodeling were analyzed in two animal models: (i) aging (15-month-old male CF-1 mice vs. young 6- to 8-week-old mice), and (ii) pressure overload (PO; by transverse aortic constriction in 4- to 5-month-old male C57BL/6 mice vs. sham-operated for 14 days). In vivo T₂-mapping was performed by acquiring data during the isovolumic and early diastolic phases, with a modified respiratory and ECG-triggered multiecho TurboRARE sequence on a 7-T MRI. Cine MRI provided cardiac morphology and function. A quantitative segmentation method was developed to analyze the in vivo T₂-maps of hearts at midventricle, apex, and basal regions. The cardiac fibrosis area was analyzed ex vivo by picro sirius red (PSR) staining. Both aged and pressure-overloaded hearts developed significant myocardial contractile dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy, and interstitial fibrosis. The aged mice had two phenotypes, fibrotic and mild-fibrotic. Notably, the aged fibrotic subgroup and the PO mice showed a marked decrease in T₂ relaxation times (25.3 ± 0.6 in aged vs. 29.9 ± 0.7 ms in young mice, p = 0.002; and 24.3 ± 1.7 in PO vs. 28.7 ± 0.7 ms in shams, p = 0.05). However, no significant difference in T₂ was detected between the aged mild-fibrotic subgroup and the young mice. Accordingly, an inverse correlation between myocardial fibrosis percentage (FP) and T₂ relaxation time was derived (R² = 0.98): T₂ (ms) = 30.45 – 1.05 × FP. Thus, these results demonstrate a statistical agreement between T₂-map–quantified fibrosis and PSR staining in two different clinically relevant animal models. In conclusion, T₂-mapping MRI is a promising noninvasive contrast agent-free quantitative technique to characterize myocardial fibrosis.     

Abnormal glucose tolerance in a pediatric cystic fibrosis cohort: Trends in clinical outcomes and associated factors in the preceding years

Background and aimsDeterioration of anthropometric and lung function parameters was shown to precede the onset of cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) in adults. In children, studies have been conducted in small cohorts with relatively short observation period. Study objectives were to document the longitudinal trends of anthropometric, pulmonary, nutritional and metabolic parameters from cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis to the ascertainment of abnormal glucose tolerance and identify parameters associated with the incidence of such abnormalities in a pediatric CF cohort.Methods and resultsRetrospective cohort study of 281 children with CF. Longitudinal trends of anthropometric, lung function, nutritional and metabolic data were generated from CF diagnosis to the ascertainment of abnormal glucose tolerance defined as the presence of either impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), unconfirmed CFRD or CFRD. Cox models and Kaplan–Meier curves were used to identify factors associated with developing abnormal glucose tolerance.Forty-five percent of cohort had normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 27% IGT, 10% unconfirmed CFRD and 18% CFRD. Children who developed CFRD displayed lower height z-scores from a very early age. Conversely, HbA1c levels began to rise closer to CFRD ascertainment. Height z-scores (HR: 0.45; CI 95% [0.29–0.69]) and HbA1c (HR: 2.43; CI 95% [1.86–3.18]) in years preceding ascertainment were associated with the risk of developing CFRD.ConclusionChildren who developed CFRD display distinctive trends for height z-scores from a very early age, whereas HbA1c appears as a marker of established glucose metabolism derangements.