The American journal of cardiology
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Comparative Study
Effect of local anesthetic management with conscious sedation in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
The present study sought to assess the effectiveness of local anesthesia with conscious sedation (LACS) during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). On its introduction, TAVI was mostly performed with the patient under general anesthesia (GA); however, evidence supporting the use of less-invasive LACS has been increasing. The data from 174 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI by way of the femoral artery from December 2007 to December 2011 were analyzed. ⋯ The intensive care unit stay and hospital stay were longer in the GA group than in the LACS group (3.9 ± 2.2 vs 3.3 ± 1.5 days, p = 0.044; and 12.2 ± 8.3 vs 8.1 ± 6.5 days, p = 0.001, respectively). LACS failure occurred in 6 patients (4.6%), and the causes were multifactorial, as follows: cardiac tamponade in 2, cardiac arrest in 2, myocardial infarction in 1, and stroke in 1. In conclusion, transfemoral TAVI with the patient under LACS could be successfully performed in most patients, with the advantage of early recovery, although the perioperative risks involved in the TAVI procedure should be considered.
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Comparative Study
Role of serial quantitative assessment of right ventricular function by strain in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
The aim of this study was to assess whether serial quantitative assessment of right ventricular (RV) function by speckle-based strain imaging is affected by pulmonary hypertension-specific therapies and whether there is a correlation between serial changes in RV strain and clinical status. RV longitudinal systolic function was assessed using speckle-tracking echocardiography in 50 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) before and after the initiation of therapy. The mean interval to follow-up was 6 ± 2 months. ⋯ Persistence of or progression to a severe reduction in free wall systolic strain (<-12.5%) at 6 months was associated with greater disease severity (100% were in functional class III or IV vs 42%, p = 0.005), greater diuretic use (86% vs 40%, p = 0.02), higher mean pulmonary artery pressure (67 ± 20 vs 46 ± 17 mm Hg, p = 0.006), and poorer survival (4-year mortality 43% vs 23%, p = 0.002). After adjusting for age, functional class, and RV strain at baseline, patients with ≥ 5% improvement in RV free wall systolic strain had a greater than sevenfold lower mortality risk at 4 years (hazard ratio 0.13, 95% confidence interval 0.03 to 0.50, p = 0.003). In conclusion, serial echocardiographic assessment of RV longitudinal systolic function by quantitative strain imaging independently predicts clinical deterioration and mortality in patients with PAH after the institution of medical therapy.
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Comparative Study
Prognostic usefulness of the change in N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels to predict mortality in a single community cohort aged ≥ 70 years.
The levels of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are closely related to cardiac abnormalities and adverse outcomes in the general population. However, little is known about the course of NT-proBNP levels over time, the underlying conditions, and the prognostic effect of changes. To investigate these issues, we measured the NT-proBNP levels (Elecsys 2010, Roche Diagnostics) in community-dwellers participating in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors study at 70 (n = 1,005) and 75 (n = 817) years of age. ⋯ Compared to those without significant NT-proBNP changes (n = 606), subjects with increasing levels (n = 162) had markedly increased all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 4.3, 95% confidence interval 2.1 to 8.8). No subject with decreasing NT-proBNP levels (n = 49) died. In conclusion, repeat measurements of NT-proBNP might add useful information to the routine clinical assessment in subjects aged ≥ 70 years, because changes in their levels were associated with cardiovascular risk indicators and strongly predictive of mortality.
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Meta Analysis
Meta-analysis of perceived stress and its association with incident coronary heart disease.
Most studies examining potential associations between psychological factors and cardiovascular outcomes have focused on depression or anxiety. The effect of perceived stress on incident coronary heart disease (CHD) has yet to be reviewed systematically. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between perceived stress and incident CHD. ⋯ Incident CHD was defined as new diagnosis of, hospitalization for, or mortality secondary to CHD. Meta-analysis yielded an aggregate risk ratio of 1.27 (95% confidence interval 1.12 to 1.45) for the magnitude of the relation between high perceived stress and incident CHD. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that high perceived stress is associated with a moderately increased risk of incident CHD.
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Elevation in plasma activity of von Willebrand factor (vWF) reflects endothelial dysfunction and predicts death in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Higher vWF activity is also associated with a lower right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Little is known about the relation between vWF and RV structure and function in adults without cardiovascular disease. ⋯ There was no association observed between vWF activity and the RV ejection fraction. In conclusion, higher vWF activity is associated with lower RV mass, RV end-diastolic volume, and RV stroke volume. These associations are independent of common cardiovascular risk factors and left ventricular morphologic changes.