Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion,A Misnomer?: Where Do We Go From Here?

The importance of the left atrial appendage (LAA) as the source of thromboembolism including stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is well documented, with more than 90% of ischemic strokes related to a LAA thrombus. Although oral anticoagulation has been the standard of care, approximately 50% to 60% of patients either have contraindications to oral anticoagulation or do not continue the medication beyond the first year. This led to the development of local site-specific therapy to occlude the LAA by either surgical or transcatheter means. Despite marked advancements, incomplete LAA closure with surgical and transcatheter approaches remains frequent. The etiology of incomplete LAA closure and its clinical implications remain unclear. Multiple strategies are in development including changes in deployment techniques, a new device design, and alternative approaches to leak closure.     

Prosthetic choice in mitral valve replacement for severe chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation: Long-term follow-up

BackgroundProsthetic choice for mitral valve replacement is generally driven by patient age and patient and surgeon preference, and current guidelines do not discriminate between different etiologies of mitral valve disease. Our objective was to assess and compare short- and long-term outcomes after mitral valve replacement among patients with biological or mechanical prostheses in the setting of severe ischemic mitral regurgitation.MethodsBetween 2000 and 2016, 424 patients underwent mitral valve replacement for severe ischemic mitral regurgitation at our institution, using biological prosthesis in 188 (44%) and mechanical prosthesis in 236 (56%). A 1:1 propensity score match (n = 126 per group) and inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to compare groups. Short-term outcomes included in-hospital mortality and other cardiovascular adverse events. Long-term outcomes included survival and hospital readmission for cardiovascular causes, stroke, and major bleeding.ResultsIn-hospital mortality and early postoperative adverse events were similar between groups in the propensity score match and inverse probability of treatment weighting cohorts. Overall long-term survival was similar at 5 and 9 years, but mechanical prosthesis recipients were more frequently readmitted to hospital for cardiovascular causes, including stroke and non-neurological bleeding in propensity score matching and inverse probability of treatment weighting analyses (all P values < .004). Type of prosthesis did not independently influence all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-1.43; P = .959), but placement of a mechanical prosthesis was associated with increased risk of readmission for cardiovascular events (hazard ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.32; P = .004) among matched patients.ConclusionsThe type of prosthesis has no influence on long-term survival among patients with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing mitral valve replacement. There may be an increased risk of neurologic events and serious bleeding associated with mechanical prostheses.     

Botulinum toxin blocks mast cells and prevents rosacea like inflammation

Background

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition whose etiology has been linked to mast cells and the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin LL-37. Individuals with refractory disease have demonstrated clinical benefit with periodic injections of onabotulinum toxin, but the mechanism of action is unknown.

呋塞米注射液在新生儿湿肺中的应用

目的观察呋塞米注射液在新生儿湿肺中的疗效。方法选取2018年1月—2019年12月医院新生儿科收治的新生儿湿肺70例,随机分为试验组35例和对照组35例,二组性别、胎龄、出生体质量、生产方式的差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),试验组在对照组常规治疗的同时加用静注呋塞米注射液0.5 mg/(kg·d),疗程3 d,比较两组平均住院时间、停氧时间、48小时内症状缓解例数。结果平均住院时间:试验组(5.00±1.31)d,对照组(6.06±1.75)d;总用氧时间:试验组(49.04±18.23)h,对照组(63.80±24.11)h;48 h内呼吸症状改善者:试验组24例(68.57%),对照组15例(42.86%),二组比较在平均住院时间、总用氧时间及48小时内症状缓解例数,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论呋塞米注射液治疗新生儿湿肺在平均住院时间、总用氧时间和48小时内呼吸症状缓解优于对照组,有一定的疗效。     

A modality-specific somatosensory evoked potential test protocol for clinical evaluation: A feasibility study

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish an objective neurophysiological test protocol that can be used to assess the somatosensory nervous system.MethodsIn order to assess most fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system, repetitive stimuli of seven different modalities (touch, vibration, pinprick, cold, contact heat, laser, and warmth) were synchronized with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and applied on the cheek and dorsum of the hand and dorsum of the foot in 21 healthy subjects and three polyneuropathy (PNP) patients. Latencies and amplitudes of the modalities were assessed and compared. Patients received quantitative sensory testing (QST) as reference.ResultsWe found reproducible evoked potentials recordings for touch, vibration, pinprick, contact-heat, and laser stimuli. The recording of warm-evoked potentials was challenging in young healthy subjects and not applicable in patients. Latencies were shortest within Aβ-fiber-mediated signals and longest within C-fibers. The test protocol detected function loss within the Aβ-fiber and Aδ-fiber-range in PNP patients. This function loss corresponded with QST findings.ConclusionIn this pilot study, we developed a neurophysiological test protocol that can specifically assess most of the somatosensory modalities. Despite technical challenges, initial patient data appear promising regarding a possible future clinical application.SignificanceEstablished and custom-made stimulators were combined to assess different fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system using modality-specific evoked potentials.     

短暂性全面遗忘相关危险因素的临床研究

目的探讨短暂性全面遗忘(transient global amnesia,TGA)患者脑血管危险因素、临床特点、影像学特征、预后及与短暂性脑缺血发作(TIA)的相关性。方法回顾性分析大连医科大学附属第一医院神经内科收治的TGA患者61例为TGA组和TIA患者61例为TIA组,对比2组脑血管危险因素、临床特点及影像学特征,TGA组随访6个月。结果与TIA组比较,TGA组高血压、糖尿病、冠心病、吸烟、血脂异常、高同型半胱氨酸血症及TG水平明显降低(P<0.05,P<0.01),症状持续时间明显延长[300.0(150.0,480.0)min vs 20.0(5.0,60.0)min,P=0.000]。TGA组6个月内无缺血性脑卒中发生,TGA组复发患者9例(14.75%),复发患者与未复发患者年龄、性别、高血压、糖尿病、冠心病、血脂异常、高同型半胱氨酸血症及同型半胱氨酸水平等脑血管危险因素比较,无统计学差异(P>0.05)。TGA组发作前有潜在诱发因素或事件15例(24.59%)。TGA组颈动脉、颅内动脉粥样硬化发生率明显低于TIA组(9.84%vs 80.33%,P<0.01;32.79%vs 59.02%,P<0.05)。结论 TGA与脑血管危险因素不相关,其发病与病前应激因素及潜在诱发因素或事件相关。TGA是一个良性病程,预后较好,可能不是TIA的一种特殊亚型。