Interventions in the diagnosis and adoption of pacemaker therapy in sinus node dysfunction patients: Results from the IMPROVE Brady study

AimsIMPROVE Brady assessed whether a process improvement intervention could increase adoption of guideline-based therapy in sinus node dysfunction (SND) patients.Methods/Results: IMPROVE Brady was a sequential, prospective, quality improvement initiative conducted in India and Bangladesh. Patients with symptomatic bradycardia were enrolled. In Phase I, physicians assessed and treated patients per standard care. Phase II began after implementing educational materials for physicians and patients. Primary objectives were to evaluate the impact of the intervention on SND diagnosis and pacemaker (PPM) implant. SF-12 quality of life (QoL) and Zarit burden surveys were collected pre- and post-PPM implant.A total of 978 patients were enrolled (57.7 ± 14.8 years, 75% male), 508 in Phase I and 470 in Phase II. The diagnosis of SND and implantation of PPM increased significantly from Phase I to Phase II (72% vs. 87%, P < 0.001 and 17% vs. 32%, P < 0.001, respectively). Pacemaker implantation was not feasible in 41% of patients due to insurance/cost barriers which was unaltered by the intervention. Both patient QoL and caregiver burden improved at 6-months post-PPM implant (P < 0.001).ConclusionsA process improvement initiative conducted at centers across India and Bangladesh significantly increased the diagnosis of SND and subsequent treatment with PPM therapy despite the socio-economic constraints.     

筛窦基板层次气化分析及其在鼻内镜鼻窦手术中的应用

目的探讨应用筛窦基板层次性分析方法，指导内镜下筛窦层次性开放的可行性。方法通过鼻窦CT扫描的薄层DICOM数据，层厚层距均为0.65 mm，ImageViewer软件三维重建分析筛窦的基板（III V）层次及其气化情况。结果获得100例（200侧）患者鼻窦CT原始薄层数据，通过三维重建分析发现筛骨结构包含5个基板（I V）：①基板V的出现率为60.0%，相邻基板间存在潜在的层次间隙；②Haller气房出现率为28.0%，与中鼻甲、上鼻甲基板结构气化相关者分别占19.5%、8.5%；③上鼻甲及基板气化发生率为91.5%，其中19.1%气化为Onodi气房。最上鼻甲及基板出现率60.0%，气化发生率为76.7%，其中15.8%气化为Onodi气房。Onodi气房出现率为33.0%，来源于上鼻甲基板、最上鼻甲基板的分别占17.5%，9.5%，来源于二者共同气化的占6.0%。各基板及其气化结构组成相对独立的通气引流系统，可单独出现引流障碍。手术中筛窦的开放（III V基板）过程，以上鼻甲、最上鼻甲为标志结构，结合CT提示的气化变异，可在其前方分别充分地开放III基板、IV基板气化结构构成的筛窦迷路（包括变异气房，如Haller气房），而根据CT提示V基板的气化状况和方向，可进一步实现V基板及其气化结构（包括Onodi气房）的开放。结论通过分析筛窦基板的层次性结构，对指引内镜下筛窦开放过程实现层次性、标准化有重要指导价值。     

Sinus node exit,crista terminalis conduction,interatrial connection,and wavefront collision: Key features of human atrial activation in sinus rhythm

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Do osteoconductive bone substitutes result in similar bone regeneration for maxillary sinus augmentation when compared to osteogenic and osteoinductive bone grafts? A systematic review and frequentist network meta-analysis

The purpose of this network meta-analysis was to identify the most effective biomaterials producing higher new bone formation (NBF) and lower residual graft (RG) and connective tissue (CT) following maxillary sinus augmentation (MSA), and to generate a ranking based on their performance. The MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until March 2018, evaluating histomorphometric outcomes after MSA. Predictor variables were autogenous bone (AB), allografts (AG), xenografts (XG), alloplastic bone (AP), AB + XG, AB + AP, AG + XG, XG + AP, and grafts combined with autologous platelet concentrates/recombinant growth factors, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), or recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Outcome variables were NBF%, RG%, and CT%. Healing time was considered. The weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated via frequentist network meta-analysis using Stata software. Fifty-two RCTs (1483 biopsies) were included. At a healing time <6 months, AB was superior to AP (WMD − 10.66%, 95% CI − 16.38% to −4.94%) and XG (WMD − 7.93%, 95% CI − 15.11% to −0.75%) for NBF. Regarding CT, AB was superior to XG + AP, AP, MSCs, and XG. At a healing time ≥6 months, NBF was higher for AB than AP (WMD − 7.06%, 95% CI − 12.59% to −1.52%). RG was lower in AB than AP (WMD 12.03%, 95% CI 3.04% to 21.03%), XG (WMD 14.62%, 95% CI 4.25% to 24.98%), and growth factors (WMD 12.32%, 95% CI 0.04% to 24.60%). The three highest ranked biomaterials for increasing NBF were AG + XG (95%, very low quality evidence), growth factors (69.9%, low quality evidence), and AB alone (69.8%, moderate quality evidence). The three highest ranked biomaterials for decreasing RG were BMPs (88.8%, very low quality evidence), AB alone (81.5%, moderate quality evidence), and AB + AP (58.9%, very low quality evidence). Finally, XG + AP (84.7%, low quality evidence), AP alone (77.7%, moderate quality evidence), and MSCs (76.1%, low quality evidence), were the three highest ranked biomaterials for decreasing the amount of CT. Network meta-analysis provided moderate quality evidence that AB alone is probably the best option to obtain greater NBF after MSA in the first 6 months after surgery. Additionally, the results of this network meta-analysis support the hypothesis that osteoconductive bone substitute materials should be combined with osteogenic or osteoinductive grafts for superior histomorphometric outcomes in MSA.