Comorbidities are Frequent in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in a Tertiary Health Care Hospital

INTRODUCTION

Several aspects of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been studied, but the frequency of comorbidities is not yet fully understood.

OBJECTIVES

To study the prevalence of GERD comorbidities in a tertiary care hospital.

METHODS

We prospectively studied 670 consecutive adult patients from the outpatient department of our facility. A diagnosis was established using clinical, endoscopic and/or pHmetry-related findings. Each patient’s medical file was reviewed with respect to the presence of other medical conditions and diagnoses.

RESULTS

Of the 670 patients, 459 (68.6%) were female, and the mean age was 55.94 (17–80 years). We registered 316 patients (47.1%) with the erosive form of GERD and 354 patients (52.9%) with the non-erosive form. A total of 1,664 instances of comorbidities were recorded in 586 patients (87.5%), with the most common being arterial hypertension (21%), hypercholesterolemia (9%), obesity (9%), type II diabetes mellitus (5%) and depression (4%). Two or more comorbidities were present in 437 individuals (64.8%). The occurrence of comorbidities increased with age and was higher in patients with the non-erosive form of GERD.

CONCLUSIONS

In a tertiary referral population, comorbidities were very common, and these may have worsened the already impaired health-related quality of life of these patients. Clinicians caring for GERD patients in this setting must be aware of the likelihood and nature of comorbid disorders and their impact on disease presentation and patient management.     

二尖瓣置换术对三尖瓣功能的影响28例临床分析

目的 探究二尖瓣置换术本身可否引起三尖瓣返流.方法 为了除外肺动脉高压、心功能不全等原因导致的三尖瓣返流,对随访病例进行了挑选.选择标准:术前无肺动脉高压,无心功能不全,无三尖瓣返流;术后无肺部疾患,无心功能减退的28例患者.意在排除除二尖瓣置换之外的其他导致三尖瓣返流的因素,刻意观察二尖瓣置换术本身与三尖瓣返流的关系.结果 选择的这28例患者中,术后均无肺部疾病,心功能较术前相同或较术前有改善.但有3例出现中度返流,10例轻度返流,共计13例,其发生率46%.讨论三尖瓣的返流或与二尖瓣置换有着直接因果关系.     

干细胞移植对犬缺血性二尖瓣关闭不全影响的研究

目的：观察干细胞移植对犬缺血性二尖瓣关闭不全的影响。方法：取12只成年犬臀大肌分离干细胞，培养、传代、DAPI标记，自左冠状动脉前降支结扎点远端灌注入犬急性心肌梗死动物模型缺血心肌中。2，4，8周后观察犬二尖瓣瓣下结构及二尖瓣启闭功能改变。结果：各对照组及2周实验组室间隔中下部变薄及典型的矛盾运动，二尖瓣前组乳头肌明显挛缩，二尖瓣中到重度关闭不全；4周及8周实验组，室间隔中下部变薄，无矛盾运动。二尖瓣前组乳头肌无明显挛缩，二尖瓣形态正常无反流。结论：干细胞种植保护了乳头肌的结构与功能免受缺血的损害，可有效防止二尖瓣关闭不全的发生。     

Appetite suppressants and valvular heart disease in a population-based sample: the HyperGEN study

PURPOSE: Previous studies of the association between the use of appetite suppressants and valvular heart disease have not accounted for the effects of valvular structure and aortic root diameter, which are associated with obesity. We assessed whether the use of the appetite suppressants fenfluramine/dexfenfluramine, either alone or with phentermine, was associated with aortic regurgitation while adjusting for these variables. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample included 2524 adult participants in the population-based Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network study. Information regarding current drug use was assessed during a clinical examination. Medication use was continued at the time of echocardiographic study. Expert readers blinded to current therapy read echocardiograms centrally at Cornell Medical Center. Analyses of the associations between use of fenfluramine/dexfenfluramine (alone or with phentermine) and aortic regurgitation adjusted for potential confounders, including aortic root dilatation and valve fibrocalcification. RESULTS: Nineteen participants, all of whom had hypertension, were being treated with fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine (5 on these agents alone, 14 also with phentermine). Aortic regurgitation was present in 32% (n = 6) of those taking fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine versus 6% (162/2505) of remaining subjects (P = 0.001). In multivariate-adjusted analyses, treatment with fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine was associated with aortic regurgitation (odds ratio [OR] = 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7 to 14) and aortic fibrocalcification (OR = 5.2; 95% CI: 1.9 to 15). CONCLUSION: In a population-based sample, use of fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine, alone or in combination with phentermine, was associated with aortic regurgitation independent of aortic dilatation or fibrocalcification.     

同种主动脉跨环补片用于法鲁四联症根治术

本文报告６例法鲁四联症（ＴＯＦ）采用同种主动脉瓣（ＨＡＶ）保留二尖瓣前叶法行根治术，ＨＡＶ采用液氮保存，全组均为男性，年龄２．５－８岁，均有肺动脉发育不全。跨环补片采用ＨＡＶ主动脉壁加宽肺动脉，二尖瓣前叶加宽右室流出道；６例全部存活，无并发症；术后超声心动图（ＵＣＧ）示右室流出道疏通满意，无肺动脉瓣返流。     

Aerosol regurgitation as a laryngeal-sensitizing event explaining acute laryngospasm

Acute laryngospasm is an incapacitating event with obscure etiology. Two cases of documented gastric aerosol regurgitation and laryngeal exposure to aerosol acid with subsequent acute laryngospasm are presented. A third individual with laryngospasm was noted to reflux gas. One individual was aware of the regurgitation etiology of the laryngospasm; the second two were not. Videofluoroscopic recording of the acute event in the second patient documented the nature of two episodes occurring within the fluoroscopy suite.     

Impact of procedural success on clinical outcome after MitraClip: Results from the MITRA-FR trial

BackgroundDifferences in procedural success rates have been proposed to explain the divergent results between the MITRA-FR trial (Percutaneous Repair with the MitraClip Device for Severe Functional/Secondary Mitral Regurgitation) and the COAPT trial (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation).AimTo examine whether MITRA-FR patients who had successful clip implantation achieved a better outcome than the control group.MethodsBased on the per protocol population of MITRA-FR, we compared the outcome in 71 patients in whom optimal clip implantation was achieved (group 1: mitral regurgitation grade ≤ 1 + at discharge) with that in 23 patients with non-optimal clip implantation (group 2: mitral regurgitation grade ≥ 2 + at discharge) and that in 137 patients in the control group (group 3). The primary endpoint was all-cause death or unplanned hospitalization for heart failure at 24 months.ResultsEvent-free survival was not different across the groups (42 ± 6% in group 1, 30 ± 10% in group 2 and 31 ± 4% in group 3; log-rank P = 0.32). In multivariable analyses, after adjustment for age, sex, rhythm, aetiology, left ventricular ejection fraction and mitral regurgitation severity, group was not associated with variations in outcome: using Group 3 as reference, hazard ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.58–1.27 (P = 0.43) in group 1; and hazard ratio 0.98 95% confidence interval 0.54–1.76 (P = 0.94) in group 2.ConclusionsThe clinical outcome of patients in whom optimal procedural result was achieved at discharge was not different compared with the control group. Our results do not support the hypothesis that the differences in rates of residual mitral regurgitation at discharge between MITRA-FR and COAPT explain the divergent results between the two trials.     

NERD患者症状与食管鳞状上皮细胞间隙关系的研究

背景:通过光学显微镜可发现非糜烂性反流病(NERD)患者存在食管鳞状上皮细胞间隙增宽(DIS),但关于不同症状与DIS的研究少见。目的:研究NERD患者症状与食管鳞状上皮细胞间隙之间的关系。方法:选取40例通过内镜检查和质子泵抑制剂试验诊断为NERD的患者,按照症状分为反流组、烧心组和胸痛组,同时选取10名健康志愿者作为对照。行胃镜检查和HE染色,测量光镜下平均细胞间隙(LMIS)。NERD患者同时行症状评分,并分析与LMIS的关系。结果:NERD组LMIS明显高于健康对照组[(1.38±0.43)μm对(0.45±0.07)μm;t=4.47,P=0.00]。反流组、烧心组和胸痛组之间LMIS差异有统计学意义(F=177.89,P<0.01),烧心组、胸痛组又明显高于反流组[(1.46±0.73)μm、(1.45±0.49)μm对(1.34±0.41)μm;P=0.00,P=0.00]。反流组、烧心组和胸痛组LMIS与症状评分之间均呈正相关(r=0.925,P<0.01;r=0.919,P<0.01;r=0.922,P<0.01)。结论:DIS是NERD对食管上皮组织损伤的一种微观变化,与NERD症状发生相关,烧心和胸痛患者DIS变化更为明显。     

Pulmonary Regurgitation after Tetralogy of Fallot Repair: Clinical Features,Sequelae, and Timing of Pulmonary Valve Replacement

Pulmonary regurgitation following repair of tetralogy of Fallot is a common postoperative sequela associated with progressive right ventricular enlargement, dysfunction, and is an important determinant of late morbidity and mortality. Although pulmonary regurgitation may be well tolerated for many years following surgery, it can be associated with progressive exercise intolerance, heart failure, tachyarrhythmia, and late sudden death. It also often necessitates re‐intervention. Identifying the appropriate timing of such intervention could be very challenging given the risk of prosthetic valve degeneration and the increased risk of reoperation. Comprehensive informed and regular assessment of the postoperative patient with tetralogy of Fallot, including evaluation of pulmonary regurgitation, right heart structure and function, is crucial to the optimal care of these patients. Pulmonary valve replacement performed in an experienced tertiary referral center is associated with low operative morbidity and mortality and very good long‐term results. Early results of percutaneous pulmonary valve replacement are also promising.