Cardiovascular Complications and Their Association With Mortality in Patients With Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

BackgroundDespite widespread availability of plasmapheresis, the mortality in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura remains high. Cardiovascular complications have been reported as an important cause of morbidity in these patients. The burden and prognostic implications of these complications have not been well studied. We analyzed the rates of cardiovascular complications in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, temporal trends, and studied its impact on in-hospital mortality.MethodsWe analyzed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from January 2005 to September 2015 to identify adult patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. This group was further refined by excluding patients who did not receive therapeutic plasmapheresis, and other conditions that can mimic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. We identified the age- and sex-stratified rates of cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac conduction system disorders, heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, myocarditis, pericarditis, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, and stroke. We also compared in-hospital mortality with and without cardiovascular complications.ResultsAmong 15,054 thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura hospitalizations (mean age 46.4 years, 69% in the 18- to 54-age group, 66.2% women, and 42.9% white), a cardiovascular complication was observed in 3802 (25.3%) hospitalizations. The following cardiovascular complications were identified: stroke (10.4%), heart failure (8.3%), acute coronary syndrome (6.4%), atrial tachyarrhythmia (5.9%), ventricular tachyarrhythmia (2.0%), cardiogenic shock (0.5%), takotsubo cardiomyopathy (0.1%), atrioventricular block (0.2%), myocarditis or pericarditis (0.3), and cardiac arrest (1.9%). Rates of several cardiovascular complications were significantly higher in patients 55 years or older compared to a younger age group, whereas males had higher rates of acute coronary syndrome and tachyarrhythmias compared to females. Overall, the cardiovascular complication rate was stable during the study period. The presence of a major cardiovascular complication was associated with a significantly higher in-hospital mortality (19.7%) as compared with no major cardiovascular complication (4.1%) (adjusted odds ratio 2.09, 95% confidence interval 1.41-3.09, P <0.001). Results were generally consistent in age and sex subgroups.ConclusionCardiovascular complications were frequently observed at a rate of 1 in 4 in patients hospitalized for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and were associated with substantially higher in-hospital mortality. These findings underscore the need to promptly identify and treat these complications to improve outcomes.     

缺血预处理程序中心肌环磷酸腺苷含量及环磷酸腺苷依赖蛋白激酶活性的变化

目的:制备大鼠在体缺血再灌注模型,观察缺血预处理程序中心肌环磷酸腺苷含量及环磷酸腺苷依赖蛋白激酶活性的变化。方法:实验于2005-03/2006-10在解放军沈阳军区总医院医学实验动物中心和全军心血管研究所实验室完成。实验分组:选用健康雌性SD大鼠36只,根据预适应程序分为第1,2,3次缺血,第1,2,3次再灌注,每一时间点6只大鼠。实验过程:用手术套管法造成左冠状动脉主干缺血及再灌注。所有实验动物在实验程序结束后,取出心脏迅速置液氮保存备用。实验评估:用放射免疫法测环磷酸腺苷水平,生化法测环磷酸腺苷依赖蛋白激酶活性变化。结果:36只大鼠均进入结果分析。①环磷酸腺苷含量:第1次再灌注组低于第1次缺血组[(0.325±0.015),(0.395±0.024)pmol/g,t=6.06,P<0.001],第2次再灌注组低于第2次缺血组[(0.523±0.017),(0.708±0.067)pmol/g,t=6.56,P<0.001],第3次再灌注组低于第3次缺血组[(0.567±0.031),(0.712±0.038)pmol/g,t=7.24,P<0.001]。②环磷酸腺苷依赖蛋白激酶活性:第1次再灌注组低于第1次缺血组[(10.115±1.000),(16.351±0.849)pkat/g,t=11.12,P<0.001],第2次再灌注组低于第2次缺血组[(11.877±2.213),(14.869±0.619)pkat/g,t=3.31,P<0.01],第3次再灌注组低于第3次缺血组[(11.745±0.987),(14.766±0.329)pkat/g,t=7.09,P<0.001]。③缺血预处理程序中心肌环磷酸腺苷含量及环磷酸腺苷依赖蛋白激酶活性随缺血及再灌注呈周期性波动。在5min缺血预处理时表现为明显增高,而在间隔的再灌注程序中恰呈相反改变,有明显下降的趋势。结论:环磷酸腺苷及环磷酸腺苷依赖蛋白激酶的周期性波动变化可能是激发心肌缺血预处理的机制之一,环磷酸腺苷可能在预处理保护作用中起一些作用。     

Morbid obesity treated by gastroplasty: radionuclide gastric emptying studies

Mechanisms by which gastroplasty for morbid obesity causes weight loss are poorly understood. We studied the role of altered gastric emptying in 50 patients before surgery, 1-4 weeks after surgery, and 2-24 months after surgery using technetium-99m pentetate in water for liquid meals and a Tc-99m styrene divinylbenzene copolymer resin in oatmeal for semisolid meals. We determined the emptying half-times of the stomach before and after surgery in the proximal and distal compartments. The proximal compartment emptied promptly in the early and late postoperative periods. The distal compartment emptied liquids at rates similar to those before surgery, while the late postoperative emptying of semisolids was significantly faster. The stoma connecting the two compartments thus permits rapid transit of liquids and semisolids without delay of distal compartment emptying. No correlation was seen between the emptying half-times or changes thereof and eventual weight loss. Delayed gastric emptying is therefore not the mechanism for satiety and weight loss after gastroplasty has been performed.     

Obstructive jaundice secondary to benign hepatic cyst

A case of hepatic cyst causing obstructive jaundice is presented. Following percutaneous aspiration of the cyst, the jaundice was relieved. Modern interventional radiologic techniques can provide prompt diagnosis and treatment, thus avoiding major surgery and prolonged hospitalization.