Radiation Dose Benchmarks During Cardiac Catheterization for Congenital Heart Disease in the United States

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to define age-stratified, procedure-specific benchmark radiation dose levels during interventional catheterization for congenital heart disease.BackgroundThere is a paucity of published literature with regard to radiation dose levels during catheterization for congenital heart disease. Obtaining benchmark radiation data is essential for assessing the impact of quality improvement initiatives for radiation safety.MethodsData were obtained retrospectively from 7 laboratories participating in the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes collaborative. Total air kerma, dose area product, and total fluoroscopy time were obtained for the following procedures: 1) patent ductus arteriosus closure; 2) atrial septal defect closure; 3) pulmonary valvuloplasty; 4) aortic valvuloplasty; 5) treatment of coarctation of aorta; and 6) transcatheter pulmonary valve placement.ResultsBetween January 2009 and July 2013, 2,713 cases were identified. Radiation dose benchmarks are presented including median, 75th percentile, and 95th percentile. Radiation doses varied widely between age groups and procedure types. Radiation exposure was lowest in patent ductus arteriosus closure and highest in transcatheter pulmonary valve placement. Total fluoroscopy time was a poor marker of radiation exposure and did not correlate well with total air kerma and dose area product.ConclusionsThis study presents age-stratified radiation dose values for 6 common congenital heart interventional catheterization procedures. Fluoroscopy time alone is not an adequate measure for monitoring radiation exposure. These values will be used as baseline for measuring the effectiveness of future quality improvement activities by the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes collaborative.     

Direct Oral Anticoagulants: New Drugs and New Concepts

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are approved for multiple thromboembolic disorders and provide advantages over existing agents. As with all anticoagulants, management protocols for the eventuality of bleeding are important. Randomized phase III studies generally show that DOACs have a similar risk of clinically relevant bleeding compared with standard anticoagulants, with reductions in major bleeding in some cases. This may be particularly important in patients with atrial fibrillation, for whom the rate of intracranial hemorrhage was approximately halved with DOACs compared with warfarin. Conversely, the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding may be increased. Specific patient characteristics, such as renal impairment, comedications, and particular aspects of each drug, including the proportion eliminated by the kidneys, must be taken into account when assessing the risk of bleeding. Although routine coagulation monitoring of DOACs is not required, it may be useful under some circumstances. Of the traditional clotting assays, a sensitive and calibrated prothrombin time may be useful for detecting the presence or absence of clinically relevant factor Xa inhibitor concentrations (rivaroxaban or apixaban), but specific anti–factor Xa assays can measure drug levels quantitatively. For dabigatran, the results of an activated partial thromboplastin time test may exclude a clinically relevant pharmacodynamic effect, but a calibrated dilute thrombin time assay can be used for quantification of drug levels. In the event of mild or moderate bleeding, normal hemostatic support measures are recommended. For life-threatening bleeding, use of nonspecific prohemostatic agents may be considered, although clinical evidence is scarce. Specific antidotes are in development.     

Bleeding risk stratification in an era of aggressive management of acute coronary syndromes

Major bleeding is currently one of the most common non-cardiac complications observed in the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Hemorrhagic complications occur with a frequency of 1% to 10% during treatment for ACS. In fact, bleeding events are the most common extrinsic complication associated with ACS therapy. The identification of clinical characteristics and particularities of the antithrombin therapy associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic complications would make it possible to adopt prevention strategies, especially among those exposed to greater risk. The international societies of cardiology renewed emphasis on bleeding risk stratification in order to decide strategy and therapy for patients with ACS. With this review, we performed an update about the ACS bleeding risk scores most frequently used in daily clinical practice.     

Is there a role for surgery in the management of isolated secundum atrial septal defect in adults?

Isolated atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common form of congenital heart abnormalities in adults and approximately 80% are located in the region of the fossa ovalis (ostium secundum ASD).1 Indications for closure are in cases where the ratio of pulmonary-to-systemic flow (Qp/Qs) is higher than 1.5, without significant elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance.Surgical closure of ASDs has been performed for over 60 years and techniques have steadily improved, using smaller incisions and minimally invasive techniques. On the other hand, in the last 20 years, various transcatheter ASD closure techniques and devices have been developed, among which, percutaneous treatment with a septal occluder device is the most popular.2,3Despite increasing use of occluder devices and the fact that studies have been published internationally pointing out some of the advantages and disadvantages compared with surgery in adults, no formal comparison of efficacy, morbidity and complications has been published.2-4 We present a retrospective comparison of short-term (three months) results for transcatheter and surgical closure of 163 ostium secundum ASD patients in a university hospital.     

Atrial electromechanical coupling intervals in pregnant subjects

Atrial fibrillation (AF), which is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, may cause serious symptoms and impair quality of life.1 The development of AF is associated with many risk factors, including age, male gender, hypertension, heart failure, valvular disease, diabetes mellitus (DM) and left atrial (LA) enlargement.2-4 Electrical and/or mechanical remodelling of the atria is thought to be a pathophysiological characteristic of AF.5The pregnant state may be pro-dysrhythmic. This is related to the cardiovascular, hormonal, haemodynamic and autonomic changes during healthy pregnancy. Levels of oestrogen and β-human chorionic gonadotropin increase dramatically. Haemodynamic changes include an increase in circulating blood volume, which increases cardiac output. This results in myocardial stretch and an increase in cardiac end-diastolic volume. High plasma catecholamine concentrations and adrenergic receptor sensitivity increase sympathetic tone. All these changes in pregnant women may make them more prone to dysrhythmogenesis.6Most pregnant women complain of palpitations, dizziness and even syncope, but these symptoms are rarely associated with cardiac dysrhythmias. AF is the most common clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia in the general population but it is rarely seen in pregnant women. When it occurs, it can represent a benign, self-limited lone episode of AF or may be secondary to congenital or rheumatic valvular disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, thyroid disease, or pre-excitation syndrome.Two simple electrocardiogram (ECG) markers, namely maximum P-wave duration (Pmax) and P-wave dispersion (PD), have been used to evaluate intra- and inter-atrial conduction times and the inhomogeneous propagation of sinus impulses, which are well-known electrophysiological characteristics of the atrium prone to fibrillation.7,8 Prolonged Pmax and PD have been reported to represent an increased risk for AF in patients with no underlying heart disease.7,8 Besides, evidence from laboratory and epidemiological research suggests that systemic inflammation may play a role in AF aetiology.9 It has also been demonstrated that atrial electromechanical coupling, measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), as significantly longer in patients with paroxysmal AF than in control groups.10,11To our knowledge, no study evaluating PD and atrial electromechanical coupling has been investigated in pregnant subjects without additional systemic disease. Therefore, in this study we aimed to examine atrial electromechanical coupling and PD, reflecting inter-atrial conduction times in pregnant subjects.     

稳心颗粒联合阿托伐他汀治疗阵发性房颤的效果及对心功能、血清NT-proBNP水平的影响

目的探讨稳心颗粒联合阿托伐他汀治疗阵发性房颤(PAF)的效果及对心功能、血清N末端B型脑钠肽(NT-proBNP)水平的影响。方法将我院2016年1月至2018年1月收治的52例PAF患者随机分为观察组和对照组,各26例,对照组采用阿托伐他汀治疗,观察组在对照组基础上加用稳心颗粒联合治疗,两组均治疗6个月后评定疗效,并测定患者治疗前后左室收缩末期内径(LVESD)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)、左室射血分数(LVEF)、心脏指数(CI)、心搏量(SV)等心功能指标变化,分别于治疗前、治疗后1、3、6个月测定患者血清中NT-proBNP水平。结果观察组患者临床有效率为92.31%,明显高于对照组的69.23%(P<0.05);治疗后观察组LVESD、LVEDD等心功能指标明显低于对照组,LVEF、CI、SV等指标明显高于对照组(P<0.05);治疗后两组NT-proBNP水平均明显降低,观察组降低幅度高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论稳心颗粒联合阿托伐他汀治疗PAF效果显著,可明显改善心功能,降低NT-proBNP水平。     

非瓣膜性心房颤动患者的卒中危险因素分析

卒中是非瓣膜性心房颤动(以下简称为房颤)的主要并发症。心力衰竭、高龄、高血压、糖尿病及卒中或短暂性脑缺血发作史与房颤患者卒中的风险相关,此外,临床上其他原因所致的缺血性卒中的危险因素也与房颤患者的卒中风险相关。筛选房颤患者并发卒中的危险因素,并采取有效方法评估其卒中的危险性,无论是对于抗凝治疗预防卒中事件,还是对于减少抗凝治疗引起的出血风险,都具有十分重要的意义。     

原发性肺黏膜相关淋巴组织淋巴瘤侵犯心脏1例报道

原发性肺黏膜相关淋巴组织（mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue,MALT）淋巴瘤是一种罕见疾病。胸片或CT有可能将MALT淋巴瘤与其他肺部疾病相混淆,从而导致误诊或延误治疗,本例患者因为难以诊断而延误5年余。患者因胸痛就诊时发现右侧大量胸腔积液,当时给予抗结核治疗,但肺部病变仍缓慢进展,同时左肺也出现病变,纵膈内淋巴结融合,病变累及心脏,出现心包积液。在复旦大学附属中山医院经超声支气管镜行支气管、淋巴结及心房肿物穿刺病理检查,确诊为MALT淋巴瘤。     

快速康复外科护理模式对下肢骨折患者围术期疼痛的影响

目的:分析应用快速康复外科护理模式对下肢骨折患者围术期疼痛的临床效果.方法:选择2018年1月-2018年9月在我院收治的下肢骨折的患者98例为观察对象.根据随机数表法分为观察组与对照组各49例,对照组实施生活护理,药物护理,并发症护理等常规护理措施,观察组则实施快速康复外科护理.对比2组手术指标及2组的VAS评分.结果:观察组肛门排气的时间、引流管拔除的时间、住院时间均明显少于对照组,均P<0.05,差异有统计学意义.护理后2组的VAS评分明显低于干预前,且观察组又明显低于对照组(P<0.05).结论:快速康复外科护理模式能够降低下肢骨折患者围术期疼痛,效果较好,建议应用.