Early heparinization decreases the incidence of left atrial thrombi detected by intracardiac echocardiography during radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION: We reviewed our experience in managing intracardiac ultrasound-detected left atrial thrombus and analyzed the impact of the timing of heparin therapy on thrombus incidence. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 508 patients undergoing ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation in which intracardiac ultrasound was used. All patients received unfractionated heparin during the procedure: 31 patients before the first transseptal puncture (preTS1), 257 between the first and second transseptal punctures (TS1-TS2), and 220 following both punctures (postTS2). By using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE), thrombus was detected in 30 of these 508 patients (5.9%). Of these, 29 were in the left atrium and constituted our study group. In 21 patients, the thrombi were successfully aspirated from the left atrium using strong suction through the transseptal sheath. All patients in whom thrombi were aspirated did well without neurological event or death. When patients received heparin therapy either preTS1 or TS1-TS2, there was a significant decrease in the occurrence of ICE-detected left atrial thrombus compared with those who received heparin postTS2 (0 of 31 patients (0%) preTS, 9 of 257 (3.5%) TS1-TS2, and 20 of 220 (9.1%) postTS2; (preTS1 vs postTS2, p = 0.01; preTS2 [preTS1 and TS1-TS2] vs postTS2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Early administration of intravenous heparin, specifically before transseptal puncture, decreases the incidence of left atrial thrombi.     

Angiographically evident thrombus following fibrinolytic therapy is associated with impaired myocardial perfusion in STEMI: a CLARITY-TIMI 28 substudy.

AIMS: The presence of residual thrombus following fibrinolytic therapy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) may predispose to greater embolization and microvascular dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS: We hypothesized that even in the presence of a patent epicardial artery, residual thrombus would be associated with worsened TIMI myocardial perfusion grades (TMPG), independent of epicardial flow. Data were analysed from the angiograms of 2684 patients enrolled in the CLARITY-TIMI 28 trial, with angiographically patent arteries (TIMI 2/3 flow) at a median of 88 h following fibrinolytic therapy. Thrombus in a patent epicardial artery was observed more frequently among patients with shorter times from randomization to angiography, among patients with non-left anterior descending infarctions, and among patients treated with placebo (vs. clopidogrel). Thrombus was associated with more frequent TIMI 2 flow (35.1 vs. 22.1%, P < 0.001), higher corrected TIMI frame counts (CTFC) (42 vs. 33 frames, P < 0.001), and a lower incidence of normal TMPG 3 (48.7 vs. 63.9%, P < 0.001), irrespective of treatment with clopidogrel or placebo. In multivariable analyses, thrombus remained associated with higher CTFC (P < 0.001) and worse TMPG (OR 1.6 for TMPG 0/1/2, P < 0.001) after adjustment for baseline covariates as well as known correlates of TMPG. The association between thrombus and impaired TMPG remained even after further adjustment for CTFC or TIMI flow grade. CONCLUSION: Residual angiographic thrombus following fibrinolytic therapy in STEMI patients is associated with impaired myocardial perfusion, independent of epicardial flow. This finding emphasizes the roles of platelet aggregation and distal embolization in the pathogenesis of microvascular dysfunction in STEMI.     

Clinical Characteristics of Portal Hemodynamics in Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis

Background: Low incidence of reversal blood flow at the portal vein has been reported by measurement in larger and extrahepatic blood vessels but not in intrahepatic blood vessels in patients with liver cirrhosis. Moreover, there is little information regarding the incidence of reversal blood on the basis of the cause of liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to measure the reversal blood flow in the portal vein including intrahepatic branches in patients with alcoholic and viral cirrhosis.
Methods: The blood flow in the portal vein and existence of portosystemic shunt were studied in 52 and 27 patients with alcoholic and viral cirrhosis, respectively, by Doppler ultrasonography. The parameters of liver function test and the prevalence of ascites and esophageal varices were compared between patients with and without reversal blood flow.
Results: Reversal blood flow at the portal vein was found only in patients with only alcoholic cirrhosis (17 of 52 patients) but not in any patients with viral cirrhosis (0 of 27 patients; p < 0.05). The incidence of portosystemic ascites and red color of esophageal varices was also higher in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis with reversal blood flow in the portal vein compared with patients without reversal blood flow ( p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Reversal blood flow in the portal vein is a characteristic feature of alcoholic cirrhosis. The presence of reversal blood flow indicates severe liver diseases, and this feature may have prognostic importance for patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.     

Hallazgos endoscópicos no relacionados con hipertensión portal en pacientes con cirrosis hepática sometidos a un programa de cribado de varices

AimTo determine the prevalence of endoscopic lesions unrelated with portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis.Patients and methodsCross-sectional study including a consecutive cohort of patients with liver cirrhosis enrolled in a screening program of oesophageal varices who underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy from November, 2013, to November, 2018. Clinical predictors of endoscopic lesions unrelated to portal hypertension were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression.ResultsA total of 379 patients were included. The most frequent aetiology of liver disease was alcohol consumption (60.4%). The prevalence of endoscopic lesions unrelated with portal hypertension was 39.6% (n=150). Among 96 patients with peptic lesions, urease was obtained in 56.2% of patients (positive in 44.4% of them). The prevalence of endoscopic lesions unrelated to portal hypertension was not associated with age, gender, liver function or ultrasound findings of portal hypertension. The prevalence of endoscopic lesions unrelated to portal hypertension was not associated with age, gender, liver function or ultrasound findings of portal hypertension. Smokers had a trend to increased prevalence of endoscopic lesions unrelated to portal hypertension (43.2% vs. 34.6%; p=0.09), particularly peptic ulcer (6.4% vs. 0.6%; p=0.05) and peptic duodenitis (17.3% vs. 6.3%; p=0.002). Active smoking was the only independent predictor of peptic ulcer or duodenitis (OR=2.56; p=0.017).ConclusionActive smoking is a risk factor for endoscopic lesions unrelated to portal hypertension. This finding should be further investigated to reassess endoscopic screening programs in cirrhotic smokers.     

Long-term clinical outcome and survival predictors in patients with cirrhosis after 10-mm-covered transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt

Background and aimsTransjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) are successfully used in the management of portal hypertension (PH)-related complications. Debate surrounds the diameter of the dilation. The aim was to analyse the outcomes of and complications deriving from TIPS in patients with cirrhosis and identify predictors of survival.MethodsThis was a retrospective single-centre study, which included patients with cirrhosis who had a TIPS procedure for PH from 2009 to October 2018. Demographic, clinical and radiological data were collected. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to measure survival and predictors of survival were identified with the Cox regression model.ResultsA total of 98 patients were included (78.6% male), mean age was 58.5 (SD±/−9.9) and the median MELD was 13.3 (IQR 9.5–16). The indications were refractory ascites (RA), variceal bleeding (VB) and hepatic hydrothorax (HH). Median survival was 72 months (RA 46.4, VB 68.5 and HH 64.7) and transplant-free survival was 26 months. Clinical and technical success rates were 70.5% and 92.9% respectively. Age (HR 1.05), clinical success (HR 0.33), sodium (HR 0.92), renal failure (HR 2.46) and albumin (HR 0.35) were predictors of survival. Hepatic encephalopathy occurred in 28.6% of patients and TIPS dysfunction occurred in 16.3%.ConclusionsTIPS with 10-mm PTFE-covered stent is an effective and safe treatment for PH-related complications in patients with cirrhosis. Age, renal failure, sodium, albumin and clinical success are independent predictors of long-term survival.     

改良扩张方法对兔静脉移植物内皮细胞保护作用研究

目的:观察不同扩张方法对兔静脉移植物内皮细胞保护作用。方法:健康纯种新西兰兔72只,按扩张液(空白对照、罂粟碱和罂粟碱+维拉帕米)随机分为A组、B组、C组,每组24只。每组又分为4个亚组,用相同扩张液分别以30mmHg、40mmHg、50mmHg和100mmHg扩张2min,再保存30min。实验终了取静脉,测量扩张后单位面积血管内皮细胞死亡数目,测定内皮细胞功能。结果:相同扩张压力下,扩张后各组均有内皮细胞死亡,但C组明显低于A组和B组(P<0.01);各组内皮细胞功能均有降低,C组明显高于A组、B组(P<0.01)。A组和B组扩张压力在50mmHg时,内皮细胞损伤最轻;而C组以40mmHg最佳(P<0.01)。结论:新的扩张方法可减轻兔静脉移植物内皮细胞损伤。     

Octreotide in the outpatient therapy of cirrhotic chylous ascites: A case report

Chylous ascites is a rare complication of liver cirrhosis associated with a poor short-term prognosis. We report the case of an 80-year-old male cirrhotic patient with refractory chylous ascites associated with portal hypertension. He was treated with total parenteral nutrition but chylous ascites relapsed at suspension. Patient was put on long-term subcutaneous octreotide (100 microg t.i.d.) as an outpatient. The treatment was well tolerated and led to clinical improvement, markedly reducing the need of total paracentesis and the amount of ascites. Octreotide was stopped after 6 months, and massive ascites did not relapse. After 1 year the patient was alive, with no need of paracentesis. Octreotide therapy should be considered in patients with cirrhosis and chylous ascites to simplify the outpatient management of the disease.