Comparison of inhaled nitric oxide with aerosolized prostacyclin or analogues for the postoperative management of pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of inhaled prostacyclin or its analoguesversus nitric oxide (NO) in treating pulmonary hypertension (PH) after cardiac or pulmonary surgery remains unclear.

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched for literature published prior to December 2019 using the following keywords: inhaled, nitric oxide, prostacyclin, iloprost, treprostinil, epoprostenol, Tyvaso, flolan, and pulmonary hypertension. Randomized controlled trials and multiple-armed prospective studies that evaluated inhaled NO versus prostacyclin (or analogues) in patients for perioperative and/or postoperative PH after either cardiac or pulmonary surgery were included. Retrospective studies, reviews, letters, comments, editorials, and case reports were excluded.

Results: Seven studies with a total of 195 patients were included. No difference in the improvement of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (pooled difference in mean change= ?0.10, 95% CI: ?3.98 to 3.78, p?=?.959) or pulmonary vascular resistance (pooled standardized difference in mean change= ?0.27, 95% CI: ?0.60 to 0.05, p?=?.099) were found between the two treatments. Similarly, no difference was found in other outcomes between the two treatments or subgroup analysis.

Conclusions: Inhaled prostacyclin (or analogues) was comparable to inhaled NO in treating PH after cardiac or pulmonary surgery.

• Key messages

• This study compared the efficacy of inhaled prostacyclin or its analogues versus inhaled NO to treat PH after surgery. The two types of agent exhibited similar efficacy in managing MPAP, PVR, heart rate, and cardiac output was observed.

• Inhaled prostacyclin may serve as an alternative treatment option for PH after cardiac or pulmonary surgery.

     

Roles of mast cells and PMN leukocytes in cardiotoxin-induced rat paw edema

Cardiotoxin, isolated from the venom of Naja naja atra, was found to cause rat hind-paw edema in a dose-dependent manner. This edematous response was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with diphenhydramine, methysergide or compound 48/80, which reduced the tissue histamine content. Polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte infiltration appeared within 1 h and had accumulated markedly in the rat paw 3-6 h after subplantar injection of cardiotoxin. Methotrexate pretreatment significantly reduced not only the peripheral leukocyte count but also cardiotoxin-induced paw edema. Captopril, a kininase inhibitor, potentiated the edematous response caused by a low dose of cardiotoxin. The initial phase, occurring within 3 h, of paw edema induced by cardiotoxin was suppressed by trasylol, [Thi5,8,D-Phe7]bradykinin, or by cellulose sulfate pretreatment which greatly reduced plasma kininogen levels. Both mast cells and PMN leukocytes possess kinin-forming activities, but with different properties. The kinin-forming activity of mast cells but not of PMN leukocytes was inhibited by trasylol. In isolated mast cells, cardiotoxin caused a dose-dependent release of histamine, beta-glucuronidase, lactate dehydrogenase and kinin-forming activity. These observations suggest that mast cells and PMN leukocytes are involved in cardiotoxin-induced paw edema, and that inflammatory mediators such as histamine, serotonin and kinins were supplied directly or indirectly by mast cells, at least in the initial phase.     

FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM THE ANBP2 PILOT STUDY

1. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a 5 year cardiovascular outcome trial of the treatment of 6000 elderly hypertensive patients in Australian general practices. 2. General practitioners (GPs) were invited to participate by mail and personal follow-up. Patient records were reviewed to identify subjects for a blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Blood pressure was measured on three occasions and eligible subjects were included if the average BP was 160 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic if systolic BP was 140 mmHg. 3. Seven hundred and forty-one GPs were approached and 89 were enrolled in the study (12% of mail invites and 75% of those receiving a personal contact). In 16 practices where screening was completed, 82 000 records were reviewed to identify 4% patients eligible for screening. Twenty-two per cent of eligible subjects attended screening. Of 1938 subjects screened, 180 (9%) had BP 5=160/90 mmHg. Forty-seven percent of subjects (n = 916) were receiving antihypertensive therapy and 184 (20%) were withdrawn from therapy. One hundred and sixteen (63%) of these subjects had BP return to study entry levels within 6 weeks. Fifty-seven newly diagnosed and 81 previously treated subjects were randomized (7% of the screened population). 4. Based on the high participation rate of GPs, the response rate of patients to attend a BP screening programme and the 7% randomization to screening ratio for entry into the study, the ANBP2 pilot study has demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit subjects from Australian general practices to a cardiovascular outcome trial.     

逆行交锁髓内钉治疗股骨髁上骨折及关节僵硬

目的：探讨应用逆行交锁强内钉治疗陈旧性股骨碟上骨折钢板断裂不愈合并膝关节僵硬的临床意义。方法：对5例患采用断裂钢板拆除，手术松解粘连，矫正畸形，股骨碟逆行交锁铝内钉固定，术后早期应用CPM机锻炼。结果：5例随访8—12个月，肢体无畸形，骨折愈合时间6—9个月，平均7．5个月，膝关节功能按Kolmert评定标准，优4例，良1例。结论：应用逆行交锁铝内钉治疗股骨碟上陈旧性骨折钢板断裂骨不愈合并膝关节僵硬，操作简便，固定牢靠，可早期功能锻炼，效果良好。     

药物浓度和病因对三磷酸腺苷治疗阵发性室上性心动过速的影响

本文报告23例次ATP治疗PSVT的效果,总有效率56.5％,9例次高浓度快速注射者8例转复。器质性心脏病者副作用较多,1例冠心速注高浓度ATP后,发生心室颤动和阿-斯氏综合征。这一结果提示:药物浓度和注射速度是影响疗效的主要因素,PSVT伴AVB者疗效也很低;病因和药物浓度是决定副作用的因素。因此,对于器质性心脏病者,尤其冠心病人,应避免高浓度快速静脉注射ATP。     

护理诊断的进展

本文从护理诊断的概念与发展；护理诊断的目标与发展；护理诊断的分类与发展；护理诊断在我国的应用与发展以及如何作出护理诊断五个方面综述了护理诊断的发展过程及重要性。     

Validation of the Taiwan Birth Registry using obstetric records.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Birth certificates are a major source of population-based data often used in maternal and child health research, but their value depends upon the level of accuracy of the data. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the birth registry data in Taiwan. METHODS: Obstetric records of a total of 2779 infants born at a municipal hospital in Taipei between 1995 and 1997 were abstracted and linked to the Taiwan Birth Registry (TBR). Concordance was presented by agreement percentages for various birth characteristics including gender, birth order, birth weight, and gestational age. Concordance was further assessed using Cohen's k and sensitivity/specificity for both birth weight and gestational age, with both variables categorized according to their customary definitions. RESULTS: Missing data for specific items in the TBR ranged from 0% (gender) to 1.6% (birth order). The birth registry accurately reported all 4 selected items, with the highest and lowest concordance percentage noted for gender (99.0%) and gestational age (88.3%), respectively. The level of agreement indicated by the Cohen's k statistic ranged from 0.92 to 0.96 for birth weight and gestational age when both variables were treated as categorical variables. CONCLUSIONS: The TBR showed a low rate of missing information and high levels of validity for the elements frequently used in maternal and child health research in Taiwan.