Long-term mortality and pacing outcomes of patients with permanent pacemaker implantation after cardiac surgery

Background: Approximately 20,000 permanent pacemakers (PPMs) are implanted annually for bradycardia or atrioventricular (AV) block after cardiac surgery. Little is known about the long‐term pacing and mortality outcomes and the temporal trends of these patients. Methods: We examined 6,268 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery at the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center between 1987 and 2010. Patients who had a PPM within 30 days of cardiac surgery were identified. Pacemaker interrogation records were retrospectively reviewed and mortality was ascertained. Results: Overall, 141 (2.2%) patients underwent PPM implantation for high‐degree AV block (55%) and bradycardia (45%), 9 ± 6 days after surgery. Age, diuretic use, cardiopulmonary bypass time (CPBT), and valve surgery were independent predictors of PPM requirement. After 5.6 ± 4.2 years of follow‐up, 40% of the patients were PPM dependent. Longer CPBT (P = 0.03), PR interval >200 ms (P = 0.03), and QRS interval > 120 ms (P = 0.04) on baseline electrocardiogram predicted PPM dependency . In univariable analysis, PPM patients had a higher long‐term mortality than those without PPM (45% vs 36%; P = 0.02). However, after adjusting for age, sex, type of surgery, and CPBT, PPM requirement was not associated with long‐term mortality (hazard ratio 1.3; 95% confidence interval 0.9–1.9; P = 0.17). Compared to before, incidence of PPM implantation increased after the year 2000 (1.9% vs 2.6%; P = 0.04). Conclusion: The majority of patients who require PPM after cardiac surgery are not PPM dependent in the long term. Requiring a PPM after surgery is not associated with long‐term mortality after adjustment for patient‐related risk factors and cardiac surgical procedure. (PACE 2011; 34:331–338)     

Successful treatment of excessive dose of carbamazepine

Carbamazepine is used in the treatment of epilepsy; it is also prescribed for treatment of neuralgic pain syndromes and certain affective disorders. Carbamazepine intoxication with suicide attempt is a relatively common clinical problem that can result in coma, respiratory depression, arrhythmia, hemodynamic instability, and death. There is no specific antidote. Multiple-dose activated charcoal and hemodialysis are the main treatment for carbamazepine intoxication. In this paper, we report the case of a 19-year-old woman with excessive dose carbamazepin intoxication and our successful treatment with multiple-dose activated charcoal and hemodialysis.     

Voice characteristics of acromegaly

Acromegaly’s effect on voice is still indefinite. We aimed to define acoustic characteristics of patients with acromegaly. Cross-sectional case–control study was designed. Thirty-seven patients with acromegaly and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Fundamental frequency (F₀) and measurements related to frequency, amplitude, noise and tremor of the obtained voice sample were analyzed using Multi-Dimensional Voice Program. Absolute jitter (Jita) and jitter percent (Jitt), shimmer in decibel and shimmer percent, noise to harmonic ratio and soft phonation index, fundamental frequency tremor frequency and frequency tremor intensity index represented the parameters related to frequency, amplitude, noise and tremor of the voice sample, respectively. Patients with acromegaly, especially the uncontrolled patients, exhibited significant differences in frequency perturbation measurements. Jitt of all patients and Jita of uncontrolled patients were significantly higher than that of control group (p = 0.044 and p = 0.043, respectively). Jitter which is a measure of frequency perturbation can be assumed as an indicator of hoarse and deepened voice. Jita of all patients and Jitt of uncontrolled patients were elevated, but not reaching a statistical significance. Controlled and active patients had similar analysis of acoustic parameters. In the correlation analysis, shimmer and IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor 1) was found to be positively correlated in all patients with acromegaly and in female patients. When the p value is adjusted according to Bonferroni correction regarding the use of ten parameters for acoustic analysis (so adjusted p is <0.005), all the statistically significant findings become insignificant. Considering the parameters test different properties of voice, it is reasonable to pay attention to the findings. Patients with acromegaly have increased frequency perturbations measures, but this increase is non-significant according to Bonferroni correction. This may be perceptually sensed as hoarse voice. Amplitude perturbations within the voice of the patients with acromegaly are positively correlated with IGF-1 levels, this correlation is also non-significant according to Bonferroni correction.     

Cutaneous Metastasis of Gallbladder Adenocarcinoma in a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Skin metastasis of primary gallbladder tumors is extremely rare with a reported incidence of 0.7~9% and it usually involves the thorax, abdomen, the extremities, neck, head region, and scalp. Cutaneous metastasis may occur synchronously or metatochronously. In the present case, the patient had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which was being treated with an alkylating agent (chlorambucil) when the patient developed skin metastasis from gallbladder adenocarcinoma during post- cholecystectomy follow-up. Given the fact that secondary malignancies occur in chronic lymphocytic leukemia; this clinical setting warrants attention. We aimed to discuss secondary malignancy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and gallbladder adenocarcinoma with skin metastasis, based on a review of the literature and the presented case.     

Extrahepatic Pseudoaneurysms and Ruptures of the Hepatic Artery in Liver Transplant Recipients: Endovascular Management and a New Iatrogenic Etiology

Purpose

To characterize extrahepatic pseudoaneurysm regarding incidence and etiology and determine the effectiveness of endovascular management.

Methods

A retrospective audit of 1,857 liver transplants in two institutions was performed (1996–2009). Recipients’ demographics, clinical presentation, transplant type, biliary anastomosis, and presence of biliary endoprostheses were noted. Pseudoaneurysms were classified into iatrogenic (associated with biliary endoprosthesis or angioplasty) or spontaneous extrahepatic pseudoaneurysms. Spontaneous and iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms were compared for time from transplant, presenting symptoms, location in the arterial anatomy, and 3-month graft survival. Arterial patency and 6-month graft survival were calculated.

Results

Twenty pseudoaneurysms were found (1.1 %, 20/1,857): 9 (0.5 % of transplants, 9/1,857) were spontaneous and 11 (0.6 % of transplants, 11/1,857) were “iatrogenic” (due to minimally invasive procedures: 4 angioplasty and 7 biliary endoprostheses). Sixty percent (12/20) underwent endovascular management (4 coil embolization and 8 stent-grafts). Technical success was 83 % (10/12) with a mean arterial patency of 70 % (follow-up mean, 4.9; range, 0–18 months). The 1-, 3-, and 6-month graft survival was 70, 40, and 35 %, respectively.

Conclusions

Due to minimally invasive procedures, posttransplant extrahepatic pseudoaneurysms are no longer an exclusive complication of the transplant surgery itself. Endovascular management is effective to stabilize patients but has not improved historic postsurgical graft survival.     

Motives and Characteristics of Domestic Violence Homicides and Suicides Among Women in India

Domestic violence homicides and suicides are significant causes of deaths among women in India. This study examined characteristics and motives of various types of domestic violence-related homicides and suicides (n = 100) in India using newspaper reports (2011–2012). The majority of victims were found to be young women, mostly killed by burning or strangulation methods. The most frequently reported motive was dowry demands followed by a history of domestic violence or harassment and family conflict. The findings highlight the need for stronger prevention/intervention programs in India to identify and intervene with women at high risk for being killed or committing suicide.     

Comparison of the surface and core bacteria in tonsillar and adenoid tissue with Beta-lactamase production

Adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy, indicated for children with recurrent or persistent symptoms of infection or hypertrophy, are among the most frequent operations performed in children. This study was carried out for investigating the microbial flora of the tonsils and adenoids regarding to core and surface microorganisms and also pathogen microrganisms' beta-lactamase production rate. Cultures were taken from the core and surface of tonsils and adenoids of the 91 patients at the time of the surgery for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were inoculated and identified. Beta-lactamase production was detected also. The most frequently isolated aerobic microorganisms were Streptococcus viridans and Neisseria spp. The number of the microorganisms isolated from the tonsil core compared to the surface of the tonsils was found statistically insignificant (P?>?0.05). The number of the adenoid surface aerobic microorganisms was found higher from the adenoid core (P??0.05). The togetherness of Staphylococcus aureus and other beta-lactamase producing bacteria was found statistically significant (P?相似文献