Saturday, February 25, 2012

EMBASE Cardiac Update AutoAlert: EPICORE Cardiac Surgery Blogger2

Total documents retrieved: 15

Results Generated From:
Embase <1980 to 2012 Week 08>
Embase (updates since 2012-02-17)


<1>
Accession Number
2012081088
Authors
Sabzi F. Moradi G.R. Dadkhah H. Poormotaabed A. Dabiri S.
Institution
(Sabzi, Poormotaabed, Dabiri) Department of Cardiac Surgery, Emam Ali
Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran,
Islamic Republic of
(Moradi) Department of Cardiac Anesthesiology, Emam Ali Hospital,
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran, Islamic
Republic of
(Dadkhah) Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heshmat Hospital, Guilan
University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Title
Low dose aprotinin increases mortality and morbidity in coronary artery
bypass surgery.
Source
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 17 (1) (pp 74-82), 2012. Date
of Publication: 2012.
Publisher
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Hezar Jerib Avenue, P.O. Box
81745-319, Isfahan, Iran, Islamic Republic of)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The low dose aprotinin consistently reduces blood and
transfusion requirement in adults during cardiac surgical procedures but
its effectiveness in some ethnical groups were debated and controversy
about its effect on mortality and morbidity precludes its routine use.
This study was designated to determine whether a low dose of aprotinin
causes more mortality and morbidity when used after coronary artery bypass
grafting (CABG) surgery. METHODS: In a clinical trial study, 380 patients
in placebo and 273 patients in aprotinin group were enrolled. A test dose
before skin incision and 2 million kallikrein inactivation units (KIU)
during initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were given to patients.
Differences in quantity of blood transfusion, morbidity and mortality were
analyzed. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine risk factors
for mortality. RESULTS: Decreased blood product transfusions and increased
rate of morbidity were found in the aprotinin group. Independent
predictors for increased number of transfusion were aspirin continued
before operation and small body mass index (BMI) but there was a
significant difference in mortality and morbidity between two groups.
CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing CABG procedure, low dose aprotinin is
effective in attenuating post bypass coagulopathy and decreasing blood
product use, but it increases morbidity.

<2>
Accession Number
2012055829
Authors
Hanada K. Higuma T. Nishizaki F. Sukekawa T. Yokota T. Yamada M. Saito S.
Kushibiki M. Oikawa K. Abe N. Tomita H. Osanai T. Okumura K.
Institution
(Hanada, Higuma, Nishizaki, Sukekawa, Yokota, Yamada, Saito, Kushibiki,
Oikawa, Abe, Tomita, Osanai, Okumura) Department of Cardiology, Hirosaki
University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
Title
Randomized study on the efficacy and safety of landiolol, an
ultra-short-acting beta1-adrenergic blocker, in patients with acute
myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary
intervention.
Source
Circulation Journal. 76 (2) (pp 439-445), 2012. Date of Publication:
2012.
Publisher
Japanese Circulation Society (14 Yoshida Kawaharacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606,
Japan)
Abstract
Background: It is still controversial whether intravenous administration
of beta-blocker in the very acute phase of acute myocardial infarction
(AMI) is beneficial. Landiolol is an ultra-short-acting beta-blocker that
has less effect on blood pressure, but little is known about its efficacy
and safety for patients with AMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI). Methods and Results: A consecutive 96 patients with
AMI not manifesting cardiogenic shock were prospectively randomized to
landiolol (n=47) or a control group (n=49). Continuous administration of
landiolol (3 mug kg-1 min-1 for 24 h) was done just after PCI in the
landiolol group, but not in the control group. Heart rate decreased by
9.4+/-1.7 beats/min after initiation of landiolol (P<0.01), but was
unchanged in the control group. Left ventricular ejection fraction
assessed 6 months later was greater than that at 2 weeks in the landiolol
group (52.0+/-1.5 vs. 49.1+/-1.5%, P=0.01), but remained unchanged in the
control group. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume index assessed 6
months later was increased compared with that at 2 weeks in the control
group (78.0+/-2.7 vs. 72.5+/-2.8 ml/m2, P=0.02), whereas it was unchanged
in the landiolol group. Conclusions: Early intravenous administration of
landiolol in patients with AMI undergoing PCI is safe and has the
potential to improve cardiac function and inhibit cardiac remodeling in
the chronic phase.

<3>
Accession Number
2012084681
Authors
Kamaledeen A. Young C. Attia R.Q.
Institution
(Kamaledeen, Young, Attia) Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St.
Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
Title
What are the differences in outcomes between right-sided active infective
endocarditis with and without left-sided infection?.
Source
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. 14 (2) (pp 205-208),
2012. Date of Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a
structured protocol. The question addressed was: in patients with isolated
right-sided infective endocarditis (RSE) is the outcome of surgical
management the same as in patients with or without left-sided involvement?
Altogether, 419 papers were found using the reported search, six of which
represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. Two studies
point towards better outcomes with isolated RSE. In one paper, mortality
was significantly lower in isolated RSE patients (P = 0.0093) for the
duration of the follow-up time (median 488 patient-years). Two studies
reported early mortality (<30 days) for RSE patients at 3.6 and 3.8%,
respectively. Combined right-and left-sided endocarditis (RLSE) patients
were found to have a poorer pre-operative clinical presentation than
isolated RSE patients with a greater requirement for inotropic support
(P<0.006) and the likelihood of an emergency operation (P <0.001). They
had a poorer intraoperative course with a higher incidence of cardiac
abscess formation (P <0.001). One study suggested that there is no
significant difference in in-hospital and long-term mortality between
intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) patients and non-IVDA patients. Leftheart
involvement in the IVDA group was 61.5%. This was in-line with the
published literature, demonstrating a rise in RLSE in IVDA compared with
non-IVDA patients. Three articles looking at isolated left-sided
endocarditis (LSE) gave mortality rates in the surgical group to be 27.1,
27.8 and 38%, respectively. In one study, the LSE mortality was not
different for native vs. prosthetic valve infection (OR 0.65, 95% CI
0.23-1.87). After propensity matching and adjusting for hazards, the
complication rate in the LSE group was higher and this translated to a
higher mortality rate. We conclude from the literature that outcomes are
more favourable with lower early and late mortality for isolated RSE
patients over pure LSE or combined RLSE. The Author 2011.

<4>
Accession Number
2012084680
Authors
Tsakok T. Tsakok M. Damji C. Watson R.
Institution
(Tsakok) Academic Foundation Programme, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS
Foundation Trust, Great Maze Pond, London, United Kingdom
(Tsakok, Watson) Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford,
United Kingdom
(Damji) Foundation Programme, Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,
London, United Kingdom
Title
Washout after lobectomy: Is water more effective than normal saline in
preventing local recurrence?.
Source
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. 14 (2) (pp 200-204),
2012. Date of Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a
structured protocol. The question addressed was: 'is water washout more
effective than normal saline washout after lobectomy in preventing local
recurrence?' Altogether more than 48 papers were found using the reported
search, of which nine represented the best evidence to answer the clinical
question. The authors, journal, date, country of publication, patient
group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers
are tabulated. Tumour cell 'spillage' after cancer resection is linked to
a worse prognosis, so washout to minimize contamination is an established
surgical technique. While the mechanical effects of lavage are well
validated, the differential cytocidal effects of water versus saline as
irrigation fluids are not. There are currently no studies addressing this
issue in the thoracic surgery setting, after lung cancer lobectomy.
However, the majority of relevant papers describe the use of basic in
vitro methods and animal models to produce data that can conceivably be
extrapolated to the clinical question in hand. The number of studies is
small, and some have technical limitations. While two of the
better-designed experiments suggest that water exerts a superior cytocidal
effect on tumour cells, data from other studies are somewhat unimpressive,
with two studies reporting that water washout controls tumour growth to a
lesser extent than saline. This, together with the complete paucity of
clinical trials on the subject, leads us to conclude that water is
unlikely to represent a superior irrigation fluid in lung cancer patients
after lobectomy. The Author 2011.

<5>
Accession Number
2012084679
Authors
Mathews T.J. Churchhouse A.M.D. Housden T. Dunning J.
Institution
(Mathews, Churchhouse, Housden) Department of Thoracic Surgery, Royal
Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
(Dunning) Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, James Cook University
Hospital, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
Title
Does adding ketamine to morphine patient-controlled analgesia safely
improve post-thoracotomy pain?.
Source
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. 14 (2) (pp 194-199),
2012. Date of Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a
structured protocol. The question addressed was 'is the addition of
ketamine to morphine patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) following thoracic
surgery superior to morphine alone'. Altogether 201 papers were found
using the reported search, of which nine represented the best evidence to
answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of
publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and
results of these papers are tabulated. This consisted of one systematic
review of PCA morphine with ketamine (PCA-MK) trials, one meta-analysis of
PCA-MK trials, four randomized controlled trials of PCA-MK, one
meta-analysis of trials using a variety of peri-operative ketamine regimes
and two cohort studies of PCA-MK. Main outcomes measured included pain
score rated on visual analogue scale, morphine consumption and incidence
of psychotomimetic side effects/hallucination. Two papers reported the
measurements of respiratory function. This evidence shows that adding
ketamine to morphine PCA is safe, with a reported incidence of
hallucination requiring intervention of 2.9%, and a meta-analysis finding
an incidence of all central nervous system side effects of 18% compared
with 15% with morphine alone, P = 0.31, RR 1.27 with 95% CI (0.8-2.01).
All randomized controlled trials of its use following thoracic surgery
found no hallucination or psychological side effect. All five studies in
thoracic surgery (n = 243) found reduced morphine requirements with
PCA-MK. Pain scores were significantly lower in PCA-MK patients in
thoracic surgery papers, with one paper additionally reporting increased
patient satisfaction. However, no significant improvement was found in a
meta-analysis of five papers studying PCA-MK in a variety of surgical
settings. Both papers reporting respiratory outcomes found improved oxygen
saturations and PaCO <sub>2</sub> levels in PCA-MK patients following
thoracic surgery. We conclude that adding low-dose ketamine to morphine
PCA is safe and post-thoracotomy may provide better pain control than PCA
with morphine alone (PCA-MO), with reduced morphine consumption and
possible improvement in respiratory function. These studies thus support
the routine use of PCA-MK instead of PCA-MO to improve post-thoracotomy
pain control. The Author 2011.

<6>
Accession Number
2012084678
Authors
Urso S. Sadaba J.R. Pettinari M.
Institution
(Urso) Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, Madrid,
Spain
(Sadaba) Department of Cardiac Surgery, Hospital de Navarra, Pamplona,
Spain
(Pettinari) Department of Cardiac Surgery, Gasthuisberg University
Hospital, Leuven, Belgium
Title
Impact of off-pump to on-pump conversion rate on post-operative results in
patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass.
Source
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. 14 (2) (pp 188-193),
2012. Date of Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a
structured protocol. The question addressed was: In patients undergoing
off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery, does the off-pump to
on-pump conversion rate have an impact on post-operative results?
Altogether more than 420 papers were found using the reported search, of
which 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) represented the best evidence
to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of
publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and
results of these papers are tabulated and ordered according to the sample
size. In the 14 RCTs reviewed, the off-pump to on-pump conversion rate
incidence ranged from 0 to 13.3%. The most frequent causes of conversion
were haemodynamic instability and intramyocardial-coronary target. A low
conversion rate (<2%) was reported by five studies. Three of them did not
show any difference in terms of mortality between the OPCAB and on-pump
groups, one showed better survival of the OPCAB group at 5 years, and one
reported better early survival of the OPCAB group. Three of these trials
describe a high OPCAB experience and reported that patients undergoing
OPCAB had a shorter post-operative stay and lower morbidity compared with
patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Five RCTs
showed a high conversion rate (>9%), and among them, one reported lower
morbidity of the OPCAB patients, three were not able to show any benefit
in terms of morbidity of the OPCAB, and one reported worse survival and
patency graft rate of the OPCAB group. Four RCTs reported conversion rates
ranging from 3.7 to 7.0%, describing a wide spectrum of results. We
conclude that RCTs with a high off-pump to on-pump conversion rate were
often associated with a lower experience in OPCAB of the surgeons
participating in the trials. These studies were also mostly unable to show
any benefit in terms of mortality or morbidity of OPCAB over the on-pump
strategy. On the contrary, a low conversion rate is mostly reported by
RCTs with a high structured experience in OPCAB. These trials were mostly
able to show a benefit, in terms of morbidity and survival, of the OPCAB
over the on-pump strategy. The Author 2011.

<7>
Accession Number
2012084673
Authors
Bertolaccini L. Terzi A. Rizzardi G. Gorla A. Viti A. Palmisano S. Coletta
G.
Institution
(Bertolaccini, Terzi, Rizzardi, Gorla, Viti) Thoracic Surgery Unit, S.
Croce e Carle City Hospital, Via Michele Coppino 26, 12100 Cuneo, Italy
(Palmisano, Coletta) Anesthesiology Unit, S. Croce e Carle City Hospital,
Cuneo, Italy
Title
Risk is not our business: Safety of thoracic surgery in patients using
antiplatelet therapy.
Source
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. 14 (2) (pp 162-166),
2012. Date of Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
American Heart Association recommendations have changed preoperative
management of patients with antiplatelet therapy (APT). We assessed safety
and outcomes of surgery in patients who were receiving APT. A prospective
study of patients operated on while receiving APT was matched with those
with no APT (ratio 1:4), using the propensity score method. Logistic
regression analysis was used to identify covariates among imbalanced
baseline patient variables. Both chi<sup>2</sup> test and Fisher's test
were used to calculate the probability value for the comparison of
dichotomous variables. Between January 2008 and December 2010, 38 patients
who received APT at the time of surgery were matched with 141 patients who
had not received APT. APT indications were a history of myocardial
infarction, coronary artery by-pass graft and/or valve replacement (19),
coronary artery stent (11) and severe peripheral vascular disease (8).
None of the patients required re-operation for bleeding. Two patients
received blood transfusions. The amount of chest tube drainage was not
statistically significantly different. There were no statistically
significant differences between the outcomes for the operative time,
length of hospital stay, estimated blood loss or morbidity. The results
show that thoracic surgical procedures can safely be performed in patients
receiving APT at the time of surgery, with no increased risk of bleeding
or morbidity and no differences in the operative time and the length of
hospital stay. The Author 2011.

<8>
Accession Number
2012096689
Authors
Soltanzadeh M. Ebad A. Pipelzadeh M.R. Tabatabaei S.K. Dehghani
Firouzabadi M. Vasigh A. Soltanzadeh M.A. Heidari A. Ramazani A. Haybar H.
Institution
(Soltanzadeh, Ebad, Pipelzadeh, Tabatabaei, Dehghani Firouzabadi, Vasigh)
Department of Anesthesiology of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahwaz Jundishapur
University of Medical sciences, Ahwaz, Iran, Islamic Republic of
(Soltanzadeh) Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, Islamic
Republic of
(Heidari, Ramazani) Department of Cardiac surgery, Imam Khomeini Hospital,
Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical sciences, Ahwaz, Iran, Islamic
Republic of
(Haybar) Department of Cardiology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahwaz
Jundishapur University of Medical sciences, Ahwaz, Iran, Islamic Republic
of
Title
Gabapentin may relieve post-coronary artery bypass graft pain: A double
blind randomized clinical trial.
Source
Iranian Cardiovascular Research Journal. 5 (3) (pp 79-82), 2012. Date of
Publication: 20120915.
Publisher
Iranian Cardiovascular Research Journal (Zand Ave., Shiraz, Iran, Islamic
Republic of)
Abstract
Background: One of the most common complaints after coronary artery bypass
graft (CABG) is postoperative pain. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant and
antineuralgic agent. Objective: To evaluate the analgesic effect of
preemptive gabapentin on post-operative pain and morphine consumption
after cardiac surgery. Methods: A double-blind randomized clinical trial
was conducted on 60 male candidates for CABG. The patients were divided
into two groups-the gabapentin (n=30) and the control group (n=30). The
test group received 800 mg gabapentin orally two hours before the surgery
followed by 400 mg of the drug two hours post-extubation. The control
group received placebo instead. Then severity of pain was recorded
according to an 11-point visual analog pain scale. The amount of morphine
consumed, its side effects and hemodynamic changes were also recorded
during and at 2, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours after extubation. Results: The
mean+/-SD cumulative morphine consumption at the first 24 hours after
extubation in gabapentin group was 0.9+/-1.5 mg while it was 1.5+/-4 mg
for the control group. Therefore, gabapentin group consumed 38% less than
the control group (P=0.01). The pain scores during rest and coughing at 2,
6, and 12 hours after extubation were also significantly lower in the
gabapentin group compared with the control group (P=0.02). The mean+/-SD
mechanical ventilation time was 5.4+/-1.7 hours for gabapentin group and
1.6+/-4.4 hours for the control group (P=0.035). The other variables
including hemodynamic changes (HR, SBP and DBP), and incidence of nausea,
vomiting and respiratory depression showed no significant difference
between the studied groups within 24 hours after extubation. Conclusion:
Oral pre-medication with gabapentin before CABG significantly reduces
post-operative pain and morphine consumption in adult cardiac surgery.
2012 Academic Journals.

<9>
Accession Number
2012088975
Authors
Iritakenishi T. Hayashi Y. Yamanaka H. Kamibayashi T. Ueda K. Mashimo T.
Institution
(Iritakenishi, Hayashi, Yamanaka, Kamibayashi, Ueda, Mashimo) Department
of Anesthesiology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2, Yamada-oka,
Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Title
Milrinone, a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, prevents reduction of
jugular bulb saturation during rewarming from hypothermic cardiopulmonary
bypass.
Source
Perfusion. 27 (1) (pp 13-17), 2012. Date of Publication: January 2012.
Publisher
SAGE Publications Ltd (55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, United Kingdom)
Abstract
Introduction: Inadequate cerebral oxygen balance during cardiopulmonary
bypass may cause neuropsychological dysfunction. Milrinone, a
phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, augments cerebral blood flow by direct
vasodilatation. We conducted a prospective, randomized study in patients
undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass to clarify the
clinical efficacy of milrinone in the imbalance of cerebral oxygen supply
and demand during the rewarming period of cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods:
This is a prospective, randomized and placebo-controlled study. After
anesthesia, a 5.5 F fiberoptic oximeter catheter was inserted into the
right jugular bulb retrogradely for monitoring the jugular venous
oxyhemoglobin saturation (SjO<sub>2</sub>). Patients were randomly
assigned to two groups, one receiving a continuous infusion of milrinone,
0.5 mug/kg/min during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass, and the other
receiving saline as control. Results: Milrinone significantly prevented
the reduction of the jugular venous oxyhemoglobin saturation at 10 minutes
from the start of rewarming compared with the control group, but did not
do so from 10 to 20 minutes after rewarming. Conclusion: Milrinone
suppresses the reduction of SjO<sub>2</sub> and improves the balance of
cerebral oxygen supply and demand during the early rewarming period of
hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. 2011 The Author(s).

<10>
Accession Number
2012085896
Authors
Lador A. Nasir H. Mansur N. Sharoni E. Biderman P. Leibovici L. Paul M.
Institution
(Lador, Leibovici) Medicine E, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital,
Petah-Tikva, Israel
(Nasir, Mansur) Pharmacology Services, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson
Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
(Sharoni, Biderman) Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rabin Medical
Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
(Sharoni, Biderman, Leibovici, Paul) Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv
University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel
(Paul) Unit of Infectious Diseases, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson
Hospital, Petah-Tikva, Israel
Title
Antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery: Systematic review and
meta-analysis.
Source
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 67 (3) (pp 541-550), 2012.
Article Number: dkr470. Date of Publication: March 2012.
Publisher
Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
Background: Antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended in cardiac surgery.
Current debate concerns the type of antibiotic(s), dosing and the duration
of prophylaxis. Methods: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials
comparing one antibiotic regimen versus another in cardiac surgery. We
searched The Cochrane Library, PubMed, LILACS, conference proceedings and
bibliographies. Two reviewers independently extracted the data. The
primary outcome was deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs). Meta-analysis
was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effect method. Risk ratios
(RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) are reported. Results:
Fifty-nine trials were included. There were no significant differences in
DSWI or all other categories of surgical site infections (SSIs) for
antibiotic prophylaxis with beta-lactams comprising a Gram-negative
spectrum of coverage versus prophylaxis targeting Gram-positive bacteria,
but the former led to a significantly lower rate of post-operative
pneumonia (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51-0.90) and all-cause mortality (RR 0.66,
95% CI 0.47-0.92). In trials comparing different antibiotic regimens for
different durations, prophylaxis duration of <=24 h post-operation led to
higher rates of DSWI (RR 1.83, 95% CI 1.25-2.66), any sternal SSI,
surgical interventions for SSI and endocarditis compared with longer
duration prophylaxis. There was no advantage of regimens lasting >48 h
post-operation. In the comparison of glycopeptides versus beta-lactams, an
advantage of glycopeptides was observed when comparators were given for
similar duration and for beta-lactams when given for a longer duration
than the glycopeptides. There was no significant advantage of high
antibiotic dosing. Conclusions: Evidence supports second- or
third-generation cephalosporins for cardiac surgery prophylaxis and points
at a possible advantage of prophylaxis prolongation up to 48 h
post-operatively. The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press
on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All
rights reserved.

<11>
Accession Number
21881356
Authors
Nakamura H. Ando K. Shinmyo T. Morita K. Kurimoto N.
Institution
(Nakamura, Ando, Shinmyo, Morita) Departments of Chest surgery, St.
Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
(Kurimoto) Departments of Medical Statistics, St. Marianna University
School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Title
Female gender is an independent prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung
cancer: A meta-analysis.
Source
Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 17 (5) (pp 469-480), 2011.
Date of Publication: October 25, 2011.
Publisher
Japanese Association for Coronary Artery Surgery (2-1 Nibancho,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0084, Japan)
Abstract
Purpose: It is not clear whether women with non-small-cell lung cancer
(NSCLC) live significantly longer than men. Thus, we conducted a
meta-analysis of published studies to quantitatively compare NSCLC
survival data between genders. Materials and Methods: A MEDLINE Web search
for computer-archived bibliographic data regarding overall survival
differences between genders was performed. DerSimonian-Laird random
effects analysis was used to estimate the pooled hazard ratio (HR).
Results: We selected 39 articles as appropriate data sources, involving 86
800 patients including 32 701 women and 54 099 men. Combined HRs for women
vs. men in studies using univariate and multivariate analyses respectively
were 0.79 (p <0.0001) and 0.78 (p <0.0001). Pooled HRs for 3 study
subgroups having (1) fewer than 30% stage I cases, (2) fewer than 50%
adenocarcinoma cases, and (3) statistical adjustment for smoking status
all indicated the survival advantage of women. Conclusion: This
meta-analysis of published data concerning NSCLC patients indicated
significantly better survival for women. 2011 The Editorial Committee of
Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. All rights reserved.

<12>
Accession Number
21881371
Authors
Pehlivan E. Turna A. Gurses A. Gurses H.N.
Institution
(Pehlivan, Gurses) Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Yedikule Teaching
Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
(Turna) Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty,
Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
(Gurses) Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, School of
Health, Istanbul Bilim University, Istanbul, Turkey
Title
The effects of preoperative short-term intense physical therapy in lung
cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial.
Source
Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 17 (5) (pp 461-468), 2011.
Date of Publication: October 25, 2011.
Publisher
Japanese Association for Coronary Artery Surgery (2-1 Nibancho,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0084, Japan)
Abstract
Background: We planned to investigate the effect of preoperative short
period intensive physical therapy on lung functions, gas-exchange, and
capacity of diffusion, and ventilation-perfusion distribution of patients
with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Sixty patients with lung cancer,
who were deemed operable, were randomly allocated into two groups.
Intensive physical therapy was performed in patients in the study group
before operation. Both groups received routine physical therapy after
operation. Results: There was no difference in pulmonary function tests
between the two groups. Intensive physical therapy statistically
significantly increased peripheral blood oxygen saturation. At least one
complication was noted in 5 patients (16.7%) in the control group, and 2
(6.7%), in the study group. However, there was no statistically
significant difference (p = 0,4). The hospital stay has been found to be
statistically significantly shortened by intensive physical therapy (p
<0.001). Ventilation-perfusion distribution was found to be significantly
effected by intensive physical therapy. The change was prominent in the
the contralateral lung (p <0.001). Conclusions: Intensive physical therapy
appeared to increase oxygen saturation, reduce hospital stay, and change
the ventilation/perfusion distribution. It had a significant, positive
effect on the exercise capacity of patients. 2011 The Editorial Committee
of Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. All rights reserved.

<13>
Accession Number
2012083380
Authors
Baretti R. Debus B. Lin B. Weng Y.-G. Pasic M. Hubler M. Grauhan O.
Knosalla C. Dandel M. Kemper D. Hiemann N. Lehmkuhl H.B. Hetzer R.
Institution
(Baretti, Debus, Lin, Weng, Pasic, Hubler, Grauhan, Knosalla, Dandel,
Kemper, Hiemann, Lehmkuhl, Hetzer) Deutsches Herzzentrum, Berlin, Germany
Title
Arrhythmia post heart transplantation.
Source
Applied Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology. 15 (4) (pp 256-271), 2011. Date
of Publication: 2011.
Publisher
Pabst Science Publishers (Eichengrund 28, Lengerich D-49525, Croatia)
Abstract
A variety of arrhythmias can occur after heart transplantation (HTx).
Hearts selected to be donated for HTx should be in good condition and
generally beat in sinus rhythm (SR). Absence or loss of SR after HTx can
be due to any reason and can lead to serious hemodynamic problems.
Ischemia reperfusion injury, unbalanced serum electrolytes and re-warming
of cold my-ocardial tissue are known to initiate arrhythmia during the
period of reperfusion after implantation of the heart graft. An important
cause of arrhythmias after HTx is the possible rejection reaction, which
often prompts supraventricular arrhythmias. Subsequent to the initial
course after HTx operation transplant vasculopathy can cause arrhythmias
of all kinds. The post-HTx effects of some antiarrhythmic substances such
as amiodarone administered preoperatively are at present under discussion
as possibly being associated with an increased risk for mortality. A
survey of patients' data from the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin (DHZB)
showed that continuous SR is accompanied by favorable course after HTx.
Absence of SR or its loss predicts organ failure. Significant risk factors
for cardiac graft failure were found to be associated with the
preoperative condition of recipients and donors as well as with the
operative procedures and the respective postoperative courses. Of these
risk factors three were prominently associated with cardiac graft failure:
absence or loss of SR initially after HTx operation, donor age over 30
years and previous thoracic operation of the recipient. Antiarrhythmic
medication regulates cardiac rhythm. We examined the hypothesis whether
preoperatively administered an-tiarrhythmic medication influences post-HTx
cardiac rhythm and function due to loading of the recipient's body with an
antiarrhythmic substance. The examination of the DHZB data showed that
medication for antiarrhythmic purposes in patients waiting for HTx is
without influence on the occurrence or continuation of sinus rhythm or on
the incidence of arrhythmia after HTx. No preoperatively administered
antiarrhythmic substance was associated with postoperative arrhythmia or
with cardiac graft failure.

<14>
Accession Number
2012078791
Authors
Ludman A.J. Hausenloy D.J. Babu G. Hasleton J. Venugopal V.
Boston-Griffiths E. Yap J. Lawrence D. Hayward M. Kolvekar S. Bognolo G.
Rees P. Yellon D.M.
Institution
(Ludman, Hausenloy, Babu, Hasleton, Venugopal, Boston-Griffiths, Rees,
Yellon) Hatter Cardiovascular Institute, University College London
Hospital, 67 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, United Kingdom
(Yap, Lawrence, Hayward, Kolvekar, Bognolo) Heart Hospital, University
College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom
Title
Failure to recapture cardioprotection with high-dose atorvastatin in
coronary artery bypass surgery: A randomised controlled trial.
Source
Basic Research in Cardiology. 106 (6) (pp 1387-1395), 2011. Date of
Publication: November 2011.
Publisher
D. Steinkopff-Verlag (P.O. Box 100462, Darmstadt D-64204, Germany)
Abstract
The acute administration of atorvastatin has been reported to reduce
myocardial infarct size in animal studies. However, this cardioprotective
effect is lost with the chronic administration of atorvastatin, although
it can be recaptured by administering an acute high-dose of atorvastatin.
We hypothesised that pre-treatment with highdose atorvastatin, on a
background of chronic standard 'statin' therapy, would reduce myocardial
injury in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
surgery. One hundred and one consenting patients undergoing elective CABG
surgery at a single tertiary cardiac centre were recruited into two
randomised controlled, single-blinded clinical studies. Study 1:45
patients were randomised to receive either 160 mg of atorvastatin 2 h
preoperatively and 24 h following surgery or their standard statin
therapy. Study 2:56 patients were randomised to receive either 160 mg of
atorvastatin 12 h preoperatively and 24 h following surgery or their
standard statin therapy. Blood samples for troponin T and creatine kinase
were taken prior to surgery and then at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h
post-surgery. Cardiac enzyme levels at each time point and the total
area-under curve (AUC) were calculated. The group characteristics and
surgical methods were well matched. High-dose atorvastatin was not
associated with any significant side effects. There was no significant
difference in serum troponin T or creatine kinase in either study at each
time point or over 72 h. Study 1: AUC, troponin T: atorvastatin 29.6 +/-
34.8 mug/L versus control 25.0 +/- 22.0 mug/L:P > 0.05. Creatine kinase:
atorvastatin 33,544 +/- 20,063 IU/L versus control 30,620 +/- 10,776
IU/L:P > 0.05. Study 2: AUC, troponin T: atorvastatin 21.8 +/- 14.3 mug/L
versus control 20.9 +/- 8.7 mug/L:P > 0.05. Creatine kinase: atorvastatin
36,262 +/- 28,821 IU/L versus control 33,448 +/- 14,984:P > 0.05. There
were no differences in postoperative outcomes. We report that the
administration of high-dose atorvastatin to low risk patients undergoing
elective CABG surgery, who are already on standard dose 'statin' therapy
is safe, but does not further reduce perioperative myocardial injury.
Springer-Verlag 2011.

<15>
Accession Number
70664904
Authors
Marinac-Dabic D. Matheny M. West S. Steinbuch M. Sedrakyan A.
Institution
(Marinac-Dabic) Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United
States
(Matheny) Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
(West) RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
(Steinbuch) Johnson and Johnson, Princeton, NJ, United States
(Sedrakyan) Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
Title
Applying rigorous methods to advance the evidence for safety and
effectiveness of implantable medical devices.
Source
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. Conference: 27th International
Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management
Chicago, IL United States. Conference Start: 20110814 Conference End:
20110817. Conference Publication: (var.pagings). 20 (pp S17-S18), 2011.
Date of Publication: August 2011.
Publisher
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Abstract
Background: In 2010 FDA launched Medical Device Epidemiology Network
(MDEpiNet) Initiative to advance epidemiologic methods development in the
area of medical device technology so that at any point of device lifecycle
both regulatory and public health decisions can be made based on the best
available scientific evidence. Objectives: In this context, the authors
will present conceptual framework and case studies from various medical
device settings to illustrate rigorous methods that can be used to advance
accumulation and appraisal of evidence for implantable medical devices.
Description: We will use orthopedic, cardiovascular, and general surgery
examples to illustrate various robust methods to study implantable
devices. Dr. Sedrakyan will present conceptual framework for premarket and
postmarket evaluation of implantable medical devices. Dr. Marinac-Dabic
will illustrate innovative analytical methods of simultaneous application
of meta-analysis, cross design synthesis and network meta-analysis of
orthopedic implant data from mandated post-approval studies, US and
international orthopedic registries, administrative billing data and
published literature. Dr. Matheny will showcase the uses of propensity-
score matching methods and risk adjusted statistical process control
techniques to perform device surveillance in retrospective cohorts using a
large national interventional cardiology database. Dr. Steinbuch will
present a bariatric case study that applied data analytic techniques to
explore a set of pre-surgical factors/characteristics in multiple
observational data sources, with an overall goal of determining the type
of bariatric surgery procedure (e.g. laparoscopic bypass, laparoscopic
band) on an individual patient level that will lead to the most optimal
outcome (e.g. weight loss, reduced co-morbidities). Dr West will discuss
the challenges and opportunities when using systematic reviews to study
general surgical implants with the focus on lap-band implant surgery. In
summary, the presentations will examine a variety of data sources and
methodologies that can be used to study and refine benfit/risk profile of
approved implantable medical devices and illustrate utility of informatics
and automated tools to enhance capacity of medical device surveillance.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

EMBASE Cardiac Update AutoAlert: EPICORE Cardiac Surgery Blogger2

Total documents retrieved: 9

Results Generated From:
Embase <1980 to 2012 Week 07>
Embase (updates since 2012-02-10)


<1>
Accession Number
2012050720
Authors
Tricoci P. Huang Z. Held C. Moliterno D.J. Armstrong P.W. Van De Werf F.
White H.D. Aylward P.E. Wallentin L. Chen E. Lokhnygina Y. Pei J. Leonardi
S. Rorick T.L. Kilian A.M. Jennings L.H.K. Ambrosio G. Bode C. Cequier A.
Cornel J.H. Diaz R. Erkan A. Huber K. Hudson M.P. Jiang L. Jukema J.W.
Lewis B.S. Lincoff A.M. Montalescot G. Nicolau J.C. Ogawa H. Pfisterer M.
Prieto J.C. Ruzyllo W. Sinnaeve P.R. Storey R.F. Valgimigli M. Whellan
D.J. Widimsky P. Strony J. Harrington R.A. Mahaffey K.W.
Institution
(Tricoci, Huang, Lokhnygina, Leonardi, Rorick, Harrington, Mahaffey) Duke
Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC,
United States
(Held, Wallentin) Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala Clinical
Research Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
(Moliterno) University of Kentucky, Lexington, United States
(Armstrong) Canadian Virtual Coordinating Center for Global Collaborative
Cardiovascular Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
(Van De Werf, Sinnaeve) University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven
Coordinating Center, Leuven, Belgium
(White) Green Lane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital,
Auckland, New Zealand
(Aylward) Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
(Chen, Pei, Kilian, Strony) Merck, Whitehouse Station, NJ, United States
(Jennings) CirQuest Labs., Department of Medicine, University of
Tennessee, Memphis, TN, United States
(Ambrosio) University of Perugia School of Medicine, Perugia, Italy
(Bode) Department of Internal Medicine III-Cardiology and Angiology,
University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany
(Cequier) Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Universitat de Barcelona,
Barcelona, Spain
(Cornel) Medisch Centrum Alkmaar, Alkmaar, Netherlands
(Diaz) Estudios Clinicos Latino America, Rosario, Argentina
(Erkan) Department of Cardiology, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey
(Huber) Department of Medicine, Cardiology, and Emergency Medicine,
Wilhelminen Hospital, Vienna, Greece
(Hudson) Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, United States
(Jiang) Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of
Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
(Jukema) Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center,
Leiden, Netherlands
(Lewis) Lady Davis Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
(Lincoff) Cleveland Clinic Coordinating Center for Clinical Research,
Cleveland, United States
(Montalescot) Institut de Cardiologie, Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere, Paris,
France
(Nicolau) Unidade de Coronariopatia Aguda, Faculdade de Medicina,
Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
(Ogawa) Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kumamoto University
Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto City, Japan
(Pfisterer) Division of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel,
Switzerland
(Prieto) Cardiovascular Department, Clinical Hospital, University of
Chile, Santiago, Chile
(Ruzyllo) Department of Coronary Artery Disease, Cardiac Catheterization
Laboratory, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland
(Storey) Department of Cardiovascular Science, University of Sheffield,
Sheffield, United Kingdom
(Valgimigli) Universitaria di Ferrara, Unita Operativa di Cardiologia,
Ferrara, Italy
(Whellan) Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University,
Philadelphia, United States
(Widimsky) University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Charles University,
Prague, Czech Republic
Title
Thrombin-receptor antagonist vorapaxar in acute coronary syndromes.
Source
New England Journal of Medicine. 366 (1) (pp 20-33), 2012. Date of
Publication: 05 Jan 2012.
Publisher
Massachussetts Medical Society (860 Winter Street, Waltham MA 02451-1413,
United States)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vorapaxar is a new oral protease-activated-receptor 1 (PAR-1)
antagonist that inhibits thrombin-induced platelet activation. METHODS: In
this multinational, double-blind, randomized trial, we compared vorapaxar
with placebo in 12,944 patients who had acute coronary syndromes without
ST-segment elevation. The primary end point was a composite of death from
cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, stroke, recurrent ischemia
with rehospitalization, or urgent coronary revascularization. RESULTS:
Follow-up in the trial was terminated early after a safety review. After a
median follow-up of 502 days (interquartile range, 349 to 667), the
primary end point occurred in 1031 of 6473 patients receiving vorapaxar
versus 1102 of 6471 patients receiving placebo (Kaplan-Meier 2-year rate,
18.5% vs. 19.9%; hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85 to
1.01; P = 0.07). A composite of death from cardiovascular causes,
myocardial infarction, or stroke occurred in 822 patients in the vorapaxar
group versus 910 in the placebo group (14.7% and 16.4%, respectively;
hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.98; P = 0.02). Rates of moderate and
severe bleeding were 7.2% in the vorapaxar group and 5.2% in the placebo
group (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.58; P<0.001). Intracranial
hemorrhage rates were 1.1% and 0.2%, respectively (hazard ratio, 3.39; 95%
CI, 1.78 to 6.45; P<0.001). Rates of nonhemorrhagic adverse events were
similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute coronary
syndromes, the addition of vorapaxar to standard therapy did not
significantly reduce the primary composite end point but significantly
increased the risk of major bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage.
(Funded by Merck; TRACER ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00527943.)
Copyright 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society.

<2>
Accession Number
2012050719
Authors
Mega J.L. Braunwald E. Wiviott S.D. Bassand J.-P. Bhatt D.L. Bode C.
Burton P. Cohen M. Cook-Bruns N. Fox K.A.A. Goto S. Murphy S.A. Plotnikov
A.N. Schneider D. Sun X. Verheugt F.W.A. Gibson C.M.
Institution
(Mega, Braunwald, Wiviott, Bhatt, Murphy, Gibson) Brigham and Women's
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
(Bhatt) Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States
(Bassand) Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Jean Minjoz,
Besancon, France
(Bode) University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
(Cook-Bruns) Bayer Healthcare, Wuppertal, Germany
(Burton, Plotnikov, Sun) Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and
Development, Raritan, NJ, United States
(Cohen) Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ, United States
(Fox) Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Edinburgh University and Royal
Infirmary, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
(Goto) Tokai University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
(Schneider) University of Vermont/Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington,
United States
(Verheugt) Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen,
Netherlands
Title
Rivaroxaban in patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome.
Source
New England Journal of Medicine. 366 (1) (pp 9-19), 2012. Date of
Publication: 05 Jan 2012.
Publisher
Massachussetts Medical Society (860 Winter Street, Waltham MA 02451-1413,
United States)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Acute coronary syndromes arise from coronary atherosclerosis
with superimposed thrombosis. Since factor Xa plays a central role in
thrombosis, the inhibition of factor Xa with low-dose rivaroxaban might
improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with a recent acute coronary
syndrome. METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we
randomly assigned 15,526 patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome to
receive twice-daily doses of either 2.5 mg or 5 mg of rivaroxaban or
placebo for a mean of 13 months and up to 31 months. The primary efficacy
end point was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial
infarction, or stroke. RESULTS: Rivaroxaban significantly reduced the
primary efficacy end point, as compared with placebo, with respective
rates of 8.9% and 10.7% (hazard ratio in the rivaroxaban group, 0.84; 95%
confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 0.96; P = 0.008), with significant
improvement for both the twice-daily 2.5-mg dose (9.1% vs. 10.7%, P =
0.02) and the twice-daily 5-mg dose (8.8% vs. 10.7%, P = 0.03). The
twice-daily 2.5-mg dose of rivaroxaban reduced the rates of death from
cardiovascular causes (2.7% vs. 4.1%, P = 0.002) and from any cause (2.9%
vs. 4.5%, P = 0.002), a survival benefit that was not seen with the
twice-daily 5-mg dose. As compared with placebo, rivaroxaban increased the
rates of major bleeding not related to coronary-artery bypass grafting
(2.1% vs. 0.6%, P<0.001) and intracranial hemorrhage (0.6% vs. 0.2%, P =
0.009), without a significant increase in fatal bleeding (0.3% vs. 0.2%, P
= 0.66) or other adverse events. The twice-daily 2.5-mg dose resulted in
fewer fatal bleeding events than the twice-daily 5-mg dose (0.1% vs. 0.4%,
P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome,
rivaroxaban reduced the risk of the composite end point of death from
cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Rivaroxaban
increased the risk of major bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage but not
the risk of fatal bleeding. (Funded by Johnson & Johnson and Bayer
Healthcare; ATLAS ACS 2-TIMI 51 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00809965.)
Copyright 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society.

<3>
[Use Link to view the full text]
Accession Number
2012067247
Authors
Lucchinetti E. Bestmann L. Feng J. Freidank H. Clanachan A.S. Finegan B.A.
Zaugg M.
Institution
(Lucchinetti, Zaugg) Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine,
University of Alberta, 8-120 Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G
2G3, Canada
(Bestmann, Feng) Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine,
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada
(Freidank) Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Canada
(Clanachan) Chief Operating Officer, UNILABS, St. Gallen, Switzerland
(Finegan) Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Zurich, Zurich,
Switzerland
Title
Remote ischemic preconditioning applied during isoflurane inhalation
provides no benefit to the myocardium of patients undergoing on-pump
coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Lack of synergy or evidence of
antagonism in cardioprotection?.
Source
Anesthesiology. 116 (2) (pp 296-310), 2012. Date of Publication:
February 2012.
Publisher
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (530 Walnut Street,P O Box 327,
Philadelphia PA 19106-3621, United States)
Abstract
BACKGROUND:: Two preconditioning stimuli should induce a more consistent
overall cell protection. We hypothesized that remote ischemic
preconditioning (RIPC, second preconditioning stimulus) applied during
isoflurane inhalation (first preconditioning stimulus) would provide more
protection to the myocardium of patients undergoing on-pump coronary
artery bypass grafting. METHODS:: In this placebo-controlled randomized
controlled study, patients in the RIPC group received four 5-min cycles of
300 mmHg cuff inflation/deflation of the leg before aortic cross-clamping.
Anesthesia consisted of opioids and propofol for induction and isoflurane
for maintenance. The primary outcome was high-sensitivity cardiac troponin
T release. Secondary endpoints were plasma levels of N-terminal pro-brain
natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, S100 protein,
and short- and long-term clinical outcomE.S. Gene expression profiles were
obtained from atrial tissue using microarrays. RESULTS:: RIPC (n = 27) did
not reduce high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T release when compared with
placebo (n = 28). Likewise, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, a
marker of myocardial dysfunction; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a
marker of perioperative inflammatory response; and S100, a marker of
cerebral injury, were not different between the groups. The incidence for
the perioperative composite endpoint combining new arrhythmias and
myocardial infarctions was higher in the RIPC group than the placebo group
(14/27 vs. 6/28, P = 0.036). However, there was no difference in the
6-month cardiovascular outcome. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide
release correlated with isoflurane-induced transcriptional changes in
fatty-acid metabolism (P = 0.001) and DNA-damage signaling (P < 0.001),
but not with RIPC-induced changes in gene expression. CONCLUSIONS:: RIPC
applied during isoflurane inhalation provides no benefit to the myocardium
of patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Copyright
2012, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Lippincott.

<4>
Accession Number
2012080659
Authors
Mihalcz A. Kassai I. Kardos A. Foldesi C. Theuns D. Szili-Torok T.
Institution
(Mihalcz, Kassai, Kardos, Foldesi) Department of Electrophysiology,
Gottsegen Gyorgy Hungarian Institute of Cardiology, Budapest, Hungary
(Theuns, Szili-Torok) Department of Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology,
Thoraxcentre, Erasmus MC, Dr Molewaterplein 40, kamer Ba 577, Postbus
2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
Title
Comparison of the efficacy of two surgical alternatives for cardiac
resynchronization therapy: Trans-apical versus epicardial left ventricular
pacing.
Source
PACE - Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology. 35 (2) (pp 124-130), 2012.
Date of Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Inc. (350 Main Street, Malden MA 02148, United
States)
Abstract
Background: Epicardial pacing lead implantation is the currently preferred
surgical alternative for left ventricular (LV) lead placement. For
endocardial LV pacing, we developed a fundamentally new surgical method.
The trans-apical lead implantation is a minimally invasive technique that
provides access to any LV segments. The aim of this prospective randomized
study was to compare the outcome of patients undergoing either
trans-apical endocardial or epicardial LV pacing. Methods: In group I, 11
end-stage heart failure (HF) patients (mean age 59.7 +/- 7.9 years)
underwent trans-apical LV lead implantation. Epicardial LV leads were
implanted in 12 end-stage HF patients (group II; mean age 62.8 +/- 7.3
years). Medical therapy was optimized in all patients. The following
parameters were compared during an 18-month follow-up period: LV ejection
fraction (LVEF), LV end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), LV end-systolic
diameter, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class. Results:
Nine out of 11 patients responded favorably to the treatment in group I
(LVEF 39.7 +/- 12.5 vs 26.0 +/- 7.8%, P < 0.01; LVEDD 70.4 +/- 13.6 mm vs
73.7 +/- 10.5 mm, P = 0.002; NYHA class 2.2 +/- 0.4 vs 3.5 +/- 0.4, P <
0.01) and eight out of 12 in group II (LVEF 31.5 +/- 11.5 vs 26.4 +/-
8.9%, P = < 0.001; NYHA class 2.7 +/- 0.4 vs 3.6 +/- 0.4, P < 0.05).
During the follow-up period, one patient died in group I and three in
group II. There was one intraoperative LV lead dislocation in group I and
one early postoperative dislocation in each group. None of the patients
developed thromboembolic complications. Conclusions: Our data suggest that
trans-apical endocardial LV lead implantation is an alternative to
epicardial LV pacing. 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

<5>
Accession Number
2012074986
Authors
El Deen H.M.S. Deeb A.E.
Institution
(El Deen, Deeb) Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine,
Mansoura University, Egypt
Title
Ketamine-propofol versus ketamine fentanyl for anesthesia in pediatric
patients undergoing cardiac catheterization: A prospective randomized
study.
Source
Egyptian Journal of Anaesthesia. 28 (1) (pp 49-53), 2012. Date of
Publication: January 2012.
Publisher
Central Society of Egyptian Anaesthesiologists (P.O. Box 167, Panorama
October 11811, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt)
Abstract
Objective: The aim of the study was to assess, compare the safety and
efficacy of continuous IV administration of a combination of
ketamine-propofol versus ketamine fentanyl for anesthesia in children
undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures with RT to Lt Shunt.
Methods: Thirty-six children aged from 1 to 8 years, with RT to Lt Shunt
scheduled for Cardiac catheterization in Mansoura Children Hospital were
included in this study. Patients in group KP (n = 18) received ketamine (1
mg/kg) and propofol (2 mg/kg) as induction agents followed by combination
of ketamine (25 mug/kg/min) and propofol (25 mug/kg/min) for maintenance
of anesthesia. On other hand, patients in group KF (n = 18) received
ketamine (1 mg/kg) and fentanyl (1 mug/kg) as induction agents followed by
combination of ketamine (25 mug/kg/min) and fentanyl (0.75 mug/kg/min) for
maintenance of anesthesia. Hemodynamic, oxygenation, recovery variables
and side effects were recorded. Results: There were no statistical
significant differences with age, sex, duration of anesthesia. There were
statistical significant decreases in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP),
systemic vascular resistance (SVR), pulmonary to systemic vascular
resistance ratio in KP group. Additionally, Sao<sub>2</sub> and
Pao<sub>2</sub> after anesthesia in KF group were statistically
significant higher than the other group. Also there was significant
prolongation of time to full recovery in KF group compared with KP group.
Conclusion: We concluded that a combination of ketamine-fentanyl is safer
and more efficacious than ketamine-propofol for pediatric cardiac
catheterization although it was associated with prolonged recovery time.
2011 Egyptian Society of Anesthesiologists. Production and hosting by
Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

<6>
Accession Number
2012063351
Authors
Heneghan C. Ward A. Perera R.
Institution
(Heneghan, Ward, Perera) Oxford University, Department of Primary Care
Health Sciences, 23-38 Hythe Bridge St, Oxford, OX1 2ET, United Kingdom
Title
Self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation: Systematic review and
meta-analysis of individual patient data.
Source
The Lancet. 379 (9813) (pp 322-334), 2012. Date of Publication: January
28-February 3, 2012.
Publisher
Elsevier Limited (32 Jamestown Road, London NW1 7BY, United Kingdom)
Abstract
Background: Uptake of self-testing and self-management of oral coagulation
has remained inconsistent, despite good evidence of their effectiveness.
To clarify the value of self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation, we did a
meta-analysis of individual patient data addressing several important gaps
in the evidence, including an estimate of the effect on time to death,
first major haemorrhage, and thromboembolism. Methods: We searched Ovid
versions of Embase (1980-2009) and Medline (1966-2009), limiting searches
to randomised trials with a maximally sensitive strategy. We approached
all authors of included trials and requested individual patient data:
primary outcomes were time to death, first major haemorrhage, and first
thromboembolic event. We did prespecified subgroup analyses according to
age, type of control-group care (anticoagulation-clinic care vs primary
care), self-testing alone versus self-management, and sex. We analysed
patients with mechanical heart valves or atrial fibrillation separately.
We used a random-effect model method to calculate pooled hazard ratios and
did tests for interaction and heterogeneity, and calculated a
time-specific number needed to treat. Findings: Of 1357 abstracts, we
included 11 trials with data for 6417 participants and 12 800 person-years
of follow-up. We reported a significant reduction in thromboembolic events
in the self-monitoring group (hazard ratio 051; 95 CI 031-085) but not for
major haemorrhagic events (088, 074-106) or death (082, 062-109).
Participants younger than 55 years showed a striking reduction in
thrombotic events (hazard ratio 033, 95 CI 017-066), as did participants
with mechanical heart valve (052, 035-077). Analysis of major outcomes in
the very elderly (age >=85 years, n=99) showed no significant adverse
effects of the intervention for all outcomes. Interpretation: Our analysis
showed that self-monitoring and self-management of oral coagulation is a
safe option for suitable patients of all ages. Patients should also be
offered the option to self-manage their disease with suitable health-care
support as back-up. Funding: UK National Institute for Health Research
(NIHR) Technology Assessment Programme, UK NIHR National School for
Primary Care Research. 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

<7>
Accession Number
2012059181
Authors
Aggarwal V. Rajpathak S. Singh M. Romick B. Srinivas V.S.
Institution
(Aggarwal) Department of Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY,
United States
(Rajpathak) Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert
Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
(Singh) Department of Medicine, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, Bronx, NY, United
States
(Romick, Srinivas) Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine,
Montefiore Medical Center, 1825, Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10461, United
States
Title
Clinical outcomes based on completeness of revascularisation in patients
undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A meta-analysis of
multivessel coronary artery disease studies.
Source
EuroIntervention. 7 (9) (pp 1095-1102), 2012. Date of Publication:
January 2012.
Publisher
EuroPCR (5 Rue Saint-Pantaleon, Toulouse 31015, France)
Abstract
Aims: Most studies investigating completeness of revascularisation and
outcomes for multivessel disease (MVD) patients are limited by small
sample size. Methods and results: We searched PUBMED, Cochrane and EMBASE
for studies comparing outcomes of MVD patients with complete
revascularisation (CR) vs. incomplete revascularisation (IR) in the stent
era. We identified nine studies that met our selection criteria. Compared
to IR, patients undergoing CR had significantly lower risk of mortality
(relative risk (RR): 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.68-0.99;
p=0.05), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) (RR: 0.67; 95% CI:
0.53-0.84; p <0.01) and subsequent coronary artery bypass graft surgery
(CABG) (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.52-0.95; p=0.02) whereas no difference was
noted in the incidence of repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
(RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.69-1.11; p=0.28). Average weighted follow up was
approximately 29 months for mortality, subsequent CABG and Repeat PCI
whereas it was 19 months for non-fatal MI. The results were similar after
excluding the only RCT or the one study restricted to diabetics or the
study restricted to drug-eluting stent use. Conclusions: In patients with
multivessel coronary disease, complete revascularisation with PCI may be
associated with better outcomes than incomplete revascularisation. Europa
Edition 2012. All rights reserved.

<8>
[Use Link to view the full text]
Accession Number
2012065461
Authors
Ballester M. Llorens J. Garcia-De-La-Asuncion J. Perez-Griera J. Tebar E.
Martinez-Leon J. Belda J. Juez M.
Institution
(Ballester, Llorens, Garcia-De-La-Asuncion, Belda) Department of
Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Av de
Vicente Blasco Ibanez 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain
(Perez-Griera) Biochemical Laboratory, Alicante, Spain
(Tebar, Martinez-Leon, Juez) Department of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Alicante, Spain
(Martinez-Leon) Hospital Clinico Universitario, Consorcio Hospital General
Universitario, Alicante, Spain
(Tebar) Valencia and Hospital de Vinalopo, Alicante, Spain
Title
Myocardial oxidative stress protection by sevoflurane vs. propofol: A
Randomised controlled study in patients undergoing off-pump coronary
artery bypass graft surgery.
Source
European Journal of Anaesthesiology. 28 (12) (pp 874-881), 2011. Date of
Publication: December 2011.
Publisher
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (250 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8RD, United
Kingdom)
Abstract
Context Myocardial oxidative stress plays an essential role in the
pathogenesis of ischaemia-reperfusion injury associated with coronary
artery bypass grafting (CABG). Both propofol and volatile anaesthetics
have been shown to reduce reactive oxygen species in experimental and
clinical studies. Main objective To compare the influence of sevoflurane
and propofol on myocardial oxidative stress markers (F2-isoprostanes and
nitrates/nitrites) in coronary sinus blood samples from patients
undergoing off-pump CABG. Design and setting Randomised controlled
clinical study of patients scheduled for off-pump CABG in a tertiary
academic university hospital from June 2007 to August 2009. Forty patients
consented to enrolment and were assigned to receive either propofol or
sevoflurane. Interventions Upon completion of the proximal anastomosis, a
retroplegia cannula was inserted in the coronary sinus to obtain blood
samples, according to the study protocol. Main outcome measures Markers of
lipoperoxidation (F2-isoprostanes) and nitrosative stress
(nitrates/nitrites) were measured in coronary sinus blood samples at three
time points: after the end of the proximal anastomosis (T1), after
completion of all grafts (T2) and 15min after revascularisation (T3).
Results Of the 40 recruited patients, 38 fully completed the study. In the
sevoflurane group (n - 20), concentrations of oxidative stress markers in
the coronary sinus remained almost constant and were significantly lower
than those in the propofol group (n=18) at all time points.
F2-isoprostanes concentrations were as follows at T1:sevoflurane group
37.2 +/-27.5 pgml<sup>1</sup> vs. propofol group 170.7+/-30.9pgml
<sup>-1</sup> [95% confidence interval (CI) 112.16-155.08, P<0.0001); at
T2:sevoflurane group 31.94+/-24.6pgml<sup>-1</sup> vs. propofol group
171.6+/-29.7 pgm<sup>-1</sup> (95% CI 119.78-159.63, P< 0.0001); and at
T3:sevoflurane group 23.8 +/-13.0pgml<sup>-1</sup> vs. propofol group
43.6+/-31 pgml<sup>-1</sup> (95% CI 2.87-36.63, P = 0.023). Conclusion In
patients undergoing off-pump CABG, sevoflurane showed better antioxidative
properties than propofol. 2011 Copyright European Society of
Anaesthesiology.

<9>
Accession Number
70660946
Authors
Vlasakov V. Thomas-Rueddel D.O. Rueddel H. Hutagalung R. Reinhart K.
Hartog C.S.
Institution
(Vlasakov, Thomas-Rueddel, Rueddel, Hutagalung, Reinhart, Hartog)
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University
Hospital, Germany
(Thomas-Rueddel, Rueddel, Reinhart) Center for Sepsis Control and Care,
Jena University Hospital, Germany
Title
Efficacy and safety of gelatin for fluid therapy in hypovolemia: A
systematic review and meta-analysis.
Source
Infection. Conference: 5th International Congress "Sepsis and Multiorgan
Dysfunction" Weimar Germany. Conference Start: 20110907 Conference End:
20110910. Conference Publication: (var.pagings). 39 (pp S142-S143),
2011. Date of Publication: September 2011.
Publisher
Urban und Vogel
Abstract
Introduction: Gelatin is frequently used as volume expander. There are
growing concerns about safety. Objectives: To systematically assess
clinical evidence concerning mortality, coagulation and renal function.
Methods: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCT) on
gelatin in hypovolemia in comparison to any other fluid with comprehensive
search strategy [Ovid Medline (1948-May 2011), EMBASE (1947-May 2011),
Cochrane Library]. Data were independently extracted and risk of bias
assessed using the 2010 Cochrane tool. Primary outcome was overall
mortality. Secondary outcomes were number of patients exposed to
allogeneic transfusion, frequency of renal replacement therapy (RRT) or
acute renal failure (ARF). Albumin and crystalloid solutions were defined
as ''suitable'', other synthetic colloids as ''unsuitable'' control fluids
since they carry similar risk of side effects. Relative risks (RR) and
weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were
calculated. Data were pooled using a random-effects model (RevMan 5.1,
Cochrane Collaboration). Results: The search yielded 1,288 citations, 210
reports were read in full. The final sample contained 73 RCT in English,
German, French and Italian, published between 1975 and 2010, with 5,915
patients overall, 2,538 of which received gelatin. Median sample size in
the gelatin groups was 20 patients (range 10-249). In 54 RCT (74%), the
study period was <=24.0 h. Total gelatin dose was 20 ml/kg (median, range
6-62). Only 39 RCT (53%) used ''suitable'' control fluids. 49 RCT (67%)
investigated elective surgical patients, mostly from cardiac surgery (33
RCT, 465). 9 RCT (12%) investigated critically ill patients, 7 RCT (10%)
were in emergency patients and 7 RCT (10%) were in children. Risk ratio
(RR) for mortality was 1.02 (CI 0.87-1.19, data from 23 RCT with 2,694
patients which reported mortality). Numbers of patients exposed to
allogeneic transfusions were provided in 12 RCT, n = 1,193 patients and RR
was 1.15 (0.94-1.41). When only studies with ''suitable'' control fluids
were included, RR for mortality was 1.13 [0.88-1.46, 10 RCT, 1,392
patients] and risk for transfusion exposure was 1.24 (0.87-1.79, 8 RCT, n
= 702), tending towards control. Only six RCT (n = 662 patients) reported
the occurrence of RRT or ARF, five of them in comparison to HES solutions.
3 RCT reported anaphylactoid events. Conclusions: Most published studies
on gelatin are small and shorttime, use unsuitable control fluids and
report too few events to reliably assess the safety of gelatin.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

EMBASE Cardiac Update AutoAlert: EPICORE Cardiac Surgery Blogger2

Total documents retrieved: 11

Results Generated From:
Embase <1980 to 2012 Week 06>
Embase (updates since 2012-02-02)


<1>
Accession Number
2012052617
Authors
Suleiman M. Koestler C. Lerman A. Lopez-Jimenez F. Herges R. Hodge D.
Bradley D. Cha Y.-M. Brady P.A. Munger T.M. Asirvatham S.J. Packer D.L.
Friedman P.A.
Institution
(Suleiman) Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
(Koestler, Lerman, Lopez-Jimenez, Herges, Hodge, Bradley, Cha, Brady,
Munger, Asirvatham, Packer, Friedman) Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
Title
Atorvastatin for prevention of atrial fibrillation recurrence following
pulmonary vein isolation: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized
trial.
Source
Heart Rhythm. 9 (2) (pp 172-178), 2012. Date of Publication: February
2012.
Publisher
Elsevier (P.O. Box 211, Amsterdam 1000 AE, Netherlands)
Abstract
Background: It is known that statins are effective in preventing atrial
fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Objective: The
purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of statins in
preventing AF recurrence following left atrial ablation. Methods: One
hundred twenty-five patients who had no statin indication undergoing
catheter ablation due to drug-refractory paroxysmal (n = 90) or persistent
(n = 35) AF were randomized in a prospective, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial to receive 80 mg atorvastatin (n = 62) or placebo
(n = 63) for 3 months. The primary endpoint was freedom from symptomatic
AF at 3 months. Secondary endpoints included freedom from any atrial
arrhythmia recurrence irrespective of symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and
reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP). Results: At 3 months, 95% of
patients in the atorvastatin group were free of symptomatic AF compared
with 93.5% in the placebo group (P =.75). Similarly, 85% of patients
treated in the atorvastatin group remained free of any recurrent atrial
arrhythmia vs 88% of patients in the placebo group (P =.37). Mean CRP
levels decreased in the atorvastatin group (mean change -0.75 +/- 3, P
=.02) and increased in the placebo group (mean change 2.1 +/- 19.9, P
=.48). Mean QoL score improved significantly in both groups (mean change
13.14 +/- 18.2 in the atorvastatin group and 11.10 +/- 17.7 in the placebo
group, P =.53). Conclusion: In patients with no standard indication for
statin therapy, treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg/day following AF
ablation does not decrease the risk of AF recurrence in the first 3 months
and should not be routinely administered to prevent periprocedural
arrhythmias. 2012 Heart Rhythm Society.

<2>
Accession Number
2012059171
Authors
Boden H. Van Der Hoeven B.L. Liem S.-S. Atary J.Z. Cannegieter S.C. Atsma
D.E. Bootsma M. Jukema J.W. Zeppenfeld K. Oemrawsingh P.V. Van Der Wall
E.E. Schalij M.J.
Institution
(Boden, Van Der Hoeven, Liem, Atary, Atsma, Bootsma, Jukema, Zeppenfeld,
Van Der Wall, Schalij) Dept. of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical
Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, Netherlands
(Cannegieter) Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University
Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
(Oemrawsingh) Department of Cardiology, Medical Center Haaglanden, The
Hague, Netherlands
(Schalij) P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Netherlands
Title
Five-year clinical follow-up from the MISSION! Intervention Study:
Sirolimus-eluting stent versus bare metal stent implantation in patients
with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, a randomised controlled
trial.
Source
EuroIntervention. 7 (9) (pp 1021-1029), 2012. Date of Publication:
January 2012.
Publisher
EuroPCR (5 Rue Saint-Pantaleon, Toulouse 31015, France)
Abstract
Aims: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of sirolimus-eluting stent (SES)
versus bare metal stent (BMS) implantation in patients with ST-segment
elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at long-term follow-up. Methods
and results: After five years, 310 STEMI patients randomly assigned to
implantation of either SES or BMS, were compared. Survival rates were
comparable between groups (SES 94.3% vs. BMS 92.8%, p=0.57), as were the
rates of reinfarction (10.6% vs. 13.7%, p=0.40), freedom of death/re-MI
(84.4% vs. 79.8%, p=0.29) and target vessel failure (14.9% vs. 21.7%,
p=0.11). Likewise, rates of overall stent thrombosis (ST) (5.4% vs. 2.7%,
p=0.28) and very late ST (4.1% vs. 0.7%, p=0.07) did not significantly
differ between the SES- and BMSgroup. In 184 patients with IVUS data,
definite and definite/probable VLST was more common in those with late
stent malapposition versus those without late stent malapposition (4.3%
and 6.6% vs. no events [p=0.018 and p=0.004], respectively). The
cumulative incidences of target vessel and target lesion revascularisation
(TVR and TLR) were not significantly lower in the SES-group (11.2% vs.
17.9%, p=0.09 and 7.2% vs. 12.9%, p=0.08), as was the rate of clinically
driven TLR (6.6% vs. 9.5%, p=0.30). Conclusions: SES implantation was
neither associated with increased rates of major adverse cardiac events,
nor with a reduction in re-intervention, compared to implantation of a BMS
in patients with STEMI after five years. However, a trend of more very
late stent thrombosis was observed after SES implantation
(ISRCTN62825862). Europa Edition 2012. All rights reserved.

<3>
Accession Number
2012057982
Authors
Cohen D.J. Lavelle T.A. Van Hout B. Li H. Lei Y. Robertus K. Pinto D.
Magnuson E.A. McGarry T.F. Lucas S.K. Horwitz P.A. Henry C.A. Serruys P.W.
Mohr F.W. Kappetein A.P.
Institution
(Cohen, Li, Lei, Robertus, Magnuson) Saint Luke's Mid America Heart
Institute, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Medicine, 4401
Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, United States
(Lavelle) Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
(Van Hout) University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
(Pinto) Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
(McGarry) Oklahoma Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Oklahoma City,
OK, United States
(Lucas) St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
(Horwitz) University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, United
States
(Henry) Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital, Dallas, TX, United States
(Serruys, Kappetein) Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam,
Rotterdam, Netherlands
(Mohr) Herzzentrum Universitat Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Title
Economic outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting
stents versus bypass surgery for patients with left main or three-vessel
coronary artery disease: One-year results from the SYNTAX trial.
Source
Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. 79 (2) (pp 198-209),
2012. Date of Publication: 01 Feb 2012.
Publisher
Wiley-Liss Inc. (111 River Street, Hoboken NJ 07030-5774, United States)
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of alternative approaches
to revascularization for patients with three-vessel or left main coronary
artery disease (CAD). Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that,
despite higher initial costs, long-term costs with bypass surgery (CABG)
in multivessel CAD are similar to those for percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI). The impact of drug-eluting stents (DES) on these
results is unknown. Methods: The SYNTAX trial randomized 1,800 patients
with left main or three-vessel CAD to either CABG (n = 897) or PCI using
paclitaxel-eluting stents (n = 903). Resource utilization data were
collected prospectively for all patients, and cumulative 1-year costs were
assessed from the perspective of the U.S. healthcare system. Results:
Total costs for the initial hospitalization were $5,693/patient higher
with CABG, whereas follow-up costs were $2,282/patient higher with PCI due
mainly to more frequent revascularization procedures and higher outpatient
medication costs. Total 1-year costs were thus $3,590/patient higher with
CABG, while quality-adjusted life expectancy was slightly higher with PCI.
Although PCI was an economically dominant strategy for the overall
population, cost-effectiveness varied considerably according to
angiographic complexity. For patients with high angiographic complexity
(SYNTAX score > 32), total 1-year costs were similar for CABG and PCI, and
the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for CABG was $43,486 per
quality-adjusted life-year gained. Conclusions: Among patients with
three-vessel or left main CAD, PCI is an economically attractive strategy
over the first year for patients with low and moderate angiographic
complexity, while CABG is favored among patients with high angiographic
complexity. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

<4>
Accession Number
2012067513
Authors
Stevenson W.G. Hernandez A.F. Carson P.E. Fang J.C. Katz S.D. Spertus J.A.
Sweitzer N.K. Tang W.H.W. Albert N.M. Butler J. Westlake Canary C.A.
Collins S.P. Colvin-Adams M. Ezekowitz J.A. Givertz M.M. Hershberger R.E.
Rogers J.G. Teerlink J.R. Walsh M.N. Stough W.G. Starling R.C.
Institution
(Stevenson, Givertz) Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
Brigham, Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
(Hernandez, Rogers) Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Duke
University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
(Carson) Georgetown University, Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical
Center, Washington, DC, United States
(Fang) Harrington-McLaughlin Heart and Vascular Institute, School of
Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
(Katz) Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University, School
of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
(Spertus) Mid-America Heart Institute, St Luke's Hospital, University of
Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MI, United States
(Sweitzer) Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,
United States
(Tang, Starling) Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic,
9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
(Albert) Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH,
United States
(Butler) Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University,
Atlanta, GA, United States
(Westlake Canary) School of Nursing, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA,
United States
(Collins) Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN, United States
(Colvin-Adams) Cardiovascular Division, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN, United States
(Ezekowitz) Division of Cardiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB,
Canada
(Hershberger) Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University
of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
(Teerlink) Department of Medicine, University of California, San
Francisco, CA, United States
(Walsh) Care Group, Indianapolis, IN, United States
(Stough) Department of Clinical Research, Campbell University College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Buies Creek, NC, United States
Title
Indications for cardiac resynchronization therapy: 2011 update from the
Heart Failure Society of America guideline committee.
Source
Journal of Cardiac Failure. 18 (2) (pp 94-106), 2012. Date of
Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Churchill Livingstone Inc. (650 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10011,
United States)
Abstract
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves survival, symptoms,
quality of life, exercise capacity, and cardiac structure and function in
patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II or
ambulatory class IV heart failure (HF) with wide QRS complex. The totality
of evidence supports the use of CRT in patients with less severe HF
symptoms. CRT is recommended for patients in sinus rhythm with a widened
QRS interval (>=150 ms) not due to right bundle branch block (RBBB) who
have severe left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and persistent NYHA
functional class II-III symptoms despite optimal medical therapy (strength
of evidence A). CRT may be considered for several other patient groups for
whom evidence of benefit is clinically significant but less substantial,
including patients with a QRS interval of >=120 to <150 ms and severe LV
systolic dysfunction who have persistent mild to severe HF despite optimal
medical therapy (strength of evidence B), some patients with atrial
fibrillation, and some with ambulatory class IV HF. Several evidence gaps
remain that need to be addressed, including the ideal threshold for QRS
duration, QRS morphology, lead placement, degree of myocardial scarring,
and the modality for evaluating dyssynchrony. Recommendations will evolve
over time as additional data emerge from completed and ongoing clinical
trials. 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

<5>
Accession Number
2012066336
Authors
Jukema J.W. Collet J.-P. De Luca L.
Institution
(Jukema) Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO
Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, Netherlands
(Collet) Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere, Institut de Cardiologie,
Paris, France
(De Luca) Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Interventional Cardiology
Unit, European Hospital, Rome, Italy
Title
Antiplatelet therapy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction
undergoing myocardial revascularisation: Beyond clopidogrel.
Source
Current Medical Research and Opinion. 28 (2) (pp 203-211), 2012. Date of
Publication: February 2012.
Publisher
Informa Healthcare (69-77 Paul Street, London EC2A 4LQ, United Kingdom)
Abstract
Background: Despite revascularisation, outcomes among patients presenting
with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remain suboptimal. Scope:
This review compares clopidogrel, ticagrelor and prasugrel as antiplatelet
strategies with a particular focus on STEMI. Medline and Google Scholar
were searched for relevant terms and citations from these articles were
also assessed. Findings: While clopidogrel represented an important
therapeutic advance, variations in platelet response and a relatively slow
onset of action compromise outcomes in some patients. Ticagrelor and
prasugrel are more effective than clopidogrel, although essentially only
one large study supports each drug. Nevertheless, a detailed examination
of the evidence reveals several issues that may influence the decision to
prescribe ticagrelor instead of prasugrel and vice versa. Arguably,
prasugrel could be the preferred strategy in STEMI, reflecting the drugs'
efficacy in clopidogrel-nave patients, the most common group in clinical
practice. Conversely, ticagrelor may be a better option than clopidogrel
in clopidogrel-pretreated patients showing a mortality benefit
irrespective of clopidogrel pre-treatment. The clinical benefits offered
by prasugrel and ticagrelor need to be offset against the increased cost
and we suggest an algorithm for using these new compounds in the primary
percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) setting. The risk of bleeding
associated with prasugrel is similar to that of clopidogrel and ticagrelor
following exclusion of at-risk patients. Nevertheless, prasugrel may be
especially appropriate for STEMI patients undergoing PCI who are
considered to be at high risk of ischaemia. Conversely, ticagrelor's short
half-life, while potentially a limitation during maintenance therapy, may
reduce bleeding risk if the patient undergoes CABG during the same
hospital admission, although confirmatory studies are needed. Conclusion:
Future studies also need to address several other outstanding issues, such
as the subsequent approach if patients do not undergo PCI, and to overcome
limitations in and differences between the primary studies. In particular,
head-to-head comparisons need to compare directly the risks and benefits
of ticagrelor and prasugrel in STEMI patients. These caveats
notwithstanding, ticagrelor and prasugrel markedly improve the prognosis
for patients with STEMI. 2012 Informa UK Ltd.

<6>
[Use Link to view the full text]
Accession Number
2012051045
Authors
Landoni G. Biondi-Zoccai G. Greco M. Greco T. Bignami E. Morelli A.
Guarracino F. Zangrillo A.
Institution
(Landoni, Greco, Greco, Bignami, Zangrillo) Department of Anesthesia and
Intensive Care, Universita Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
(Biondi-Zoccai) Interventional Cardiology, Division of Cardiology,
University of Turin, Turin, Italy
(Morelli) Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University of
Rome, La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
(Guarracino) Cardiothoracic Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria
Pisana, Pisa, Italy
Title
Effects of levosimendan on mortality and hospitalization. A meta-analysis
of randomized controlled studies.
Source
Critical Care Medicine. 40 (2) (pp 634-646), 2012. Date of Publication:
February 2012.
Publisher
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (351 West Camden Street, Baltimore MD
21201-2436, United States)
Abstract
Objective: Catecholaminergic inotropes have a place in the management of
low output syndrome and decompensated heart failure but their effect on
mortality is debated. Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizer that enhances
myocardial contractility without increasing myocardial oxygen use. A
meta-analysis was conducted to determine the impact of levosimendan on
mortality and hospital stay. Data Sources: BioMedCentral, PubMed, Embase,
and the Cochrane Central Register of clinical trials were searched for
pertinent studies. International experts and the manufacturer were
contacted. Study Selection: Articles were assessed by four trained
investigators, with divergences resolved by consensus. Inclusion criteria
were random allocation to treatment and comparison of levosimendan vs.
control. There were no restrictions on dose or time of levosimendan
administration or on language. Exclusion criteria were: duplicate
publications, nonadult studies, oral administration of levosimendan, and
no data on main outcomes. Data Extraction: Study end points, main
outcomes, study design, population, clinical setting, levosimendan dosage,
and treatment duration were extracted. Data Synthesis: Data from 5,480
patients in 45 randomized clinical trials were analyzed. The overall
mortality rate was 17.4% (507 of 2,915) among levosimendan-treated
patients and 23.3% (598 of 2,565) in the control group (risk ratio 0.80
[0.72; 0.89], p for effect <.001, number needed to treat = 17 with 45
studies included). Reduction in mortality was confirmed in studies with
placebo (risk ratio 0.82 [0.69; 0.97], p = .02) or dobutamine (risk ratio
0.68 [0.52-0.88]; p = .003) as comparator and in studies performed in
cardiac surgery (risk ratio 0.52 [0.35; 0.76] p = .001) or cardiology
(risk ratio 0.75 [0.63; 0.91], p = .003) settings. Length of hospital stay
was reduced in the levosimendan group (weighted mean difference = -1.31
[-1.95; -0.31], p for effect = .007, with 17 studies included). A trend
toward a higher percentage of patients experiencing hypotension was noted
in levosimendan vs. control (risk ratio 1.39 [0.97-1.94], p = .053).
Conclusions: Levosimendan might reduce mortality in cardiac surgery and
cardiology settings of adult patients. Copyright 2012 by the Society of
Critical Care Medicine and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

<7>
[Use Link to view the full text]
Accession Number
2012051026
Authors
Lim T. Ryu H.-G. Jung C.-W. Jeon Y. Bahk J.-H.
Institution
(Lim, Jung, Jeon, Bahk) Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine,
Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
(Ryu) Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Boramae Medical
Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Title
Effect of the bevel direction of puncture needle on success rate and
complications during internal jugular vein catheterization.
Source
Critical Care Medicine. 40 (2) (pp 491-494), 2012. Date of Publication:
February 2012.
Publisher
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (351 West Camden Street, Baltimore MD
21201-2436, United States)
Abstract
Objective: Artery puncture and hematoma formation are the most common
immediate complications during internal jugular vein catheterization. This
study was performed to assess whether the bevel-down approach of the
puncture needle decreases the incidence of posterior venous wall damage
and hematoma formation during internal jugular vein catheterization.
Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled study. Setting: A
university-affiliated hospital. Patients: Three hundred thirty-eight
patients for scheduled for thoracic surgery requiring central venous
catheterization in the right internal jugular vein. Interventions:
Patients requiring internal jugular vein catheterization were enrolled and
randomized to either the bevel-down group (n = 169) or the bevel-up group
(n = 169). All patients were placed in the Trendelenburg position with the
head turned to the left. After identifying the right internal jugular vein
with ultrasound imaging, a double-lumen central venous catheter was
inserted using the modified Seldinger technique. Venous entry of the
needle was recognized by return of venous blood during needle advance or
withdrawal. The internal jugular vein was assessed cross-sectionally and
longitudinally after catheterization to identify any complications. A p
value of <.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Measurements
and Main Results; There was no difference in the incidence of the
puncture-on-withdrawal between the two groups (37 of 169 in the bevel-down
group and 25 of 169 in the bevel-up group). However, the incidence of
posterior hematoma formation was lower in the bevel-down group (six of 169
vs. 17 of 169, p = .031). Additionally, there was less incidence of the
posterior hematoma formation associated with puncture-on-withdrawal in the
bevel-down group (six of 37 vs. 11 of 25, p = .034). Conclusions: The
bevel-down approach of the right internal jugular vein may decrease the
incidence of posterior venous wall damage and hematoma formation compared
with the bevel-up approach, which implicates a reduced probability of
carotid artery puncture with the bevel-down approach during internal
jugular vein catheterization. Copyright 2012 by the Society of Critical
Care Medicine and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

<8>
Accession Number
2012053813
Authors
Chen Y.-B. Shu J. Yang W.-T. Shi L. Guo X.-F. Wang F.-G. Qian Y.-Y.
Institution
(Chen, Shu, Yang, Shi, Guo, Wang, Qian) Department of Cardiothoracic
Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu
215004, China
Title
Meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing the effectiveness of on-pump
and off-pump coronary artery bypass.
Source
Chinese Medical Journal. 125 (2) (pp 338-344), 2012. Date of
Publication: January 2012.
Publisher
Chinese Medical Association (42 Dongsi Xidajie, Beijing 100710, China)
Abstract
Background The growing enthusiasm for coronary artery bypass grafting
(CABG) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is emerging, but the role of
off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) in clinical practice remains
controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in the
incidences of stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), and myocardial infarction
(MI) between OPCAB and conventional coronary artery bypass grafting
(CCABG) by meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials. Methods A
literature search for the period before March 2010 supplemented with
manual bibliographic review was performed for all Chinese or English
publications in Medline, the Science Citation Index Expanded, the Cochrane
Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and CBMdisc. A systematic
overview (meta-analyses) of randomized clinical trials was conducted to
evaluate the differences between OPCAB and CCABG in the incidences of
stroke, AF, and MI. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5
software. Results Forty-three randomized clinical trials were selected for
meta-analysis after screening a total of 356 references, with 8104
patients in the OPCAB group and 8724 cases in the CCABG group. The
meta-analyses of these trials showed no significant difference between
OPCAB and CCABG in the incidences of stroke (odds ratio (OR)=0.80, 95%
confidence interval (CI)=0.52-1.22, P=0.30) and MI (OR=0.73,
95%CI=0.52-1.02, P=0.06). However, we found a significantly reduced risk
of AF (OR=0.65, 95%CI = 0.52-0.82, P=0.0002) in off-pump patients.
Conclusions Our meta-analyses suggest that OPCAB reduces the risk of
postoperative AF compared with CCABG, but there is no significant
difference in the incidences of stroke and MI between OPCAB and CCABG.

<9>
Accession Number
2012050053
Authors
Boden W.E. Probstfield J.L. Anderson T. Chaitman B.R. Desvignes-Nickens P.
Koprowicz K. McBride R. Teo K. Weintraub W.
Institution
(Boden) University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
(Probstfield) University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
(Anderson) University of Calgary, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Calgary,
AB, Canada
(Chaitman) Saint Louis University, St. Louis, United States
(Desvignes-Nickens) National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
(Koprowicz, McBride) Axio Research, 2601 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98121,
United States
(Teo) McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
(Weintraub) Christiana Care Health Services, Wilmington, DE, United States
Title
Niacin in patients with low HDL cholesterol levels receiving intensive
statin therapy.
Source
New England Journal of Medicine. 365 (24) (pp 2255-2267), 2011. Date of
Publication: 15 Dec 2011.
Publisher
Massachussetts Medical Society (860 Winter Street, Waltham MA 02451-1413,
United States)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In patients with established cardiovascular disease, residual
cardiovascular risk persists despite the achievement of target low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels with statin therapy. It is unclear
whether extended-release niacin added to simvastatin to raise low levels
of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is superior to simvastatin
alone in reducing such residual risk. METHODS: We randomly assigned
eligible patients to receive extended-release niacin, 1500 to 2000 mg per
day, or matching placebo. All patients received simvastatin, 40 to 80 mg
per day, plus ezetimibe, 10 mg per day, if needed, to maintain an LDL
cholesterol level of 40 to 80 mg per deciliter (1.03 to 2.07 mmol per
liter). The primary end point was the first event of the composite of
death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction,
ischemic stroke, hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome, or
symptom-driven coronary or cerebral revascularization. RESULTS: A total of
3414 patients were randomly assigned to receive niacin (1718) or placebo
(1696). The trial was stopped after a mean follow-up period of 3 years
owing to a lack of efficacy. At 2 years, niacin therapy had significantly
increased the median HDL cholesterol level from 35 mg per deciliter (0.91
mmol per liter) to 42 mg per deciliter (1.08 mmol per liter), lowered the
triglyceride level from 164 mg per deciliter (1.85 mmol per liter) to 122
mg per deciliter (1.38 mmol per liter), and lowered the LDL cholesterol
level from 74 mg per deciliter (1.91 mmol per liter) to 62 mg per
deciliter (1.60 mmol per liter). The primary end point occurred in 282
patients in the niacin group (16.4%) and in 274 patients in the placebo
group (16.2%) (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 1.21;
P = 0.79 by the log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with
atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol levels of less
than 70 mg per deciliter (1.81 mmol per liter), there was no incremental
clinical benefit from the addition of niacin to statin therapy during a
36-month follow-up period, despite significant improvements in HDL
cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute and Abbott Laboratories; AIM-HIGH ClinicalTrials.gov
number, NCT00120289.) Copyright 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society. All
rights reserved.

<10>
Accession Number
70655312
Authors
Rodseth R.N. Buse G.A.L. Bolliger D.
Title
The predictive ability of preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide in
vascular patients for major adverse cardiac events: An individual patient
data meta-analysis.
Source
Journal of Vascular Surgery. Conference: 40th Annual Symposium of the
Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, SCVS 2012 Las Vegas, NV United
States. Conference Start: 20120314 Conference End: 20120317. Conference
Publication: (var.pagings). 55 (2) (pp 616), 2012. Date of Publication:
February 2012.
Publisher
Mosby Inc.
Abstract
Conclusion: Preoperative natriuretic peptide levels are independent
predictors of cardiovascular events in the first 30 days following
vascular surgery and improve predictive performance of the revised cardiac
risk index. Summary: A recent randomized international controlled study of
8351 patients from 23 countries found a 6.9 % incidence of cardiovascular
events in patients >45 years of age undergoing non cardiac surgery.
(Devereaux PG. Lancet 2008;371:1839-47). There have been even higher rates
of preoperative mortality, adverse cardiovascular events, and
rehospitalizations reported in vascular surgery patients. (Noordzij PJ.
Anesthesiology 2010; 112:1105-15, and Jencks SF. N Engl J Med
2009;360:418-28). Current guidelines for stratifying cardiac risk utilize
clinical risk factors, type of surgery and exercise tolerance to direct
preoperative investigation. (Fleisher LA et al. J Am Coll Cardiol
2007;50:1707-32). Clinical factors include a history of compensated or
prior heart failure, a history of ischemic heart disease, cerebral
vascular events, renal insufficiency, and diabetes mellitus. (Lee TH et
al. Circulation 1999;100:1043-9). However, use of the revised cardiac risk
index has not provided good discrimination when applied to patients
undergoing vascular surgery (Kertai MD et al. Heart 2003;89: 1327-34).
Preoperative elevations of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or its
prohormone have consistently been associated with cardiovascular events
following major vascular surgery. (Feringa HH. Heart 2007;93:226-31). The
aim of this study was to determine optimal BNP cutoffs to predict
cardiovascular events after vascular surgery and to determine whether the
use of preoperative levels of BNP, or its prohormone, could improve
current risk stratification prior to vascular surgery. The authors used an
electronic database search to identify studies reporting association of
preoperative natriuretic protein concentrations with post operative major
adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal MI) in
vascular surgery. Secondary endpoints included all cause mortality,
cardiac death and non fatal MI. There were six data sets obtained, five
were for BNP (n = 632) and for 1 N-terminal pro-BNP (n = 218). A BNP level
higher than the optimal cut point independently predicted the primary
composite end point (odds ratio, 7.9; 95% CI, 4.7 to 13.3). BNP cut points
were 30pg/mL for screening (95% sensitivity; 44% specificity), 116 pg/mL
for highest accuracy (66% sensitivity; 82% specificity). Reclassification
of risks following the revised cardiac risk index stratification using NP
levels improved risk prediction. (Net reclassification improvement, 58%; P
< .000001). This was particularly so in the intermediate risk group (net
reclassification improvement, 84%; P < .001). Comment: Cardiac risk
stratification in vascular surgery has only been, at best, modestly
successful in predicting preoperative events in the vascular surgical
patient. The results here, suggest that in patients risk stratified with
the revised cardiac risk index, a BNP cut off point can be used to
reclassify these patients and provide a more accurate risk assessment.
This may help better identify patients who would benefit from further
cardiac evaluation. Importantly, it is also crucial to recognize that this
meta analysis, and other studies in this area (Ford MK et al. Ann Intern
Med 2010;152:26-35), raise serious concerns regarding the use the revised
cardiac risk index as a "stand alone" tool in the preoperative cardiac
evaluation of the vascular surgical patient.

<11>
Accession Number
70653771
Authors
Singh S. Kong Loke Y. Spangler J. Furberg C.D.
Institution
(Singh) Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
(Kong Loke) University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
(Spangler, Furberg) Wake Forest University, School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC, United States
Title
ODDS of major adverse cardiovascular events associated with varenicline: A
systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials.
Source
Journal of General Internal Medicine. Conference: 34th Annual Meeting of
the Society of General Internal Medicine Phoenix, AZ United States.
Conference Start: 20110504 Conference End: 20110507. Conference
Publication: (var.pagings). 26 (pp S290), 2011. Date of Publication:
May 2011.
Publisher
Springer New York
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Varenicline is a partial agonist at the I 4-I<sup>2</sup> 2
nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and a full agonist at I-7 nicotinic
acetylcholine receptors. Varenicline is associated with myocardial
infarction and cardiac arrest in spontaneous reports. Its effect on
cardiovascular outcomes is unknown. Our objective was to ascertain the
risk of major adverse cardiovascular effects of varenicline compared to
placebo controls among tobacco users. METHODS: Systematic searches were
conducted in August 2010 of relevant articles in MEDLINE, EMBASE,
regulatory authorityWeb-sites in the United States and Europe and
manufacturers' trial registries with no date restrictions. Randomized
controlled trials of varenicline for treatment of nicotine addiction among
smokers or smokeless tobacco users, had at least 7 days of treatment, and
reported on any major adverse cardiovascular event (including zero events)
of myocardial infarction, unstable angina, coronary revascularization,
coronary artery disease, arrythmias, transient ischemic attacks, strokes
and sudden death or cardiovascular death and congestive heart failure were
included. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 347 citations. After a
detailed screening of 45 full text studies for cardiovascular events, 14
double blind placebo controlled randomized controlled trials enrolling
8216 tobacco users were included. Follow-up duration ranged from 7 weeks
to 1 year. Major adverse cardiovascular events occurred among 52 of 4908
participants receiving varenicline and 27 of 3308 patients receiving
placebo therapy (Peto Odds Ratio (OR), 1.72 [95% confidence interval {CI},
1.09-2.71]; P=.02 I2=0%). Sensitivity analysies using treatment arm
continuity correction to account for imbalance in zero events among the
included trials yielded similar results. These estimates were also robust
to the choice of comparators (placebo vs active controls). There was no
evidence of publication bias via funnel plot asymmetry. CONCLUSION: Among
tobacco users varenicline use is associated with significantly increased
odds of major adverse cardiovascular events. (Table presented).