The journal of Tehran Heart Center
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J Tehran Heart Cent · Jan 2013
Cardiac variables as main predictors of endotracheal reintubation rate after cardiac surgery.
Reintubation in patients after cardiac surgery is associated with undesirable consequences. The purpose of the present study was to identify variables that could predict reintubation necessity in this group of patients. ⋯ These findings reveal that cardiac variables are more common and significant predictors of reintubation after cardiac surgery in adult patients than are respiratory variables. The incidence of this complication, reintubation, is low, although it could result in significant postoperative morbidity and mortality.
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J Tehran Heart Cent · Jan 2013
Effect of Hypertonic Saline Infusion versus Normal Saline on Serum NGAL and Cystatin C Levels in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and life-threatening complication following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and Cystatin C have shown to be good predictive factors for AKI. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the use of hypertonic saline in cardiac operations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prophylactic anti-inflammatory effect of hypertonic saline (Group A) infusion versus normal saline (Group B) on serum NGAL and Cystatin C levels as the two biomarkers of AKI in CABG patients. ⋯ Pre-treatment of CABG patients with hypertonic saline had no significant effect on serum NGAL and Cystatin C levels compared to the normal saline-receiving group. Our present data, albeit promising, have yet to fully document outcome differences.
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J Tehran Heart Cent · Jan 2013
The role of echocardiography in coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction.
Echocardiography is a non-invasive diagnostic technique which provides information regarding cardiac function and hemodynamics. It is the most frequently used cardiovascular diagnostic test after electrocardiography and chest X-ray. ⋯ Echocardiography is a versatile imaging modality for the management of patients with chest pain and assessment of left ventricular systolic function, diastolic function, and even myocardial and coronary perfusion and is, therefore, useful in the diagnosis and triage of patients with acute chest pain or dyspnea. This review has focused on the current applications of echocardiography in patients with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction.
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J Tehran Heart Cent · Nov 2012
Right ventricular myocardial tissue velocities, myocardial performance index, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in totally corrected tetralogy of fallot patients.
Longer survival after the total repair of the Tetralogy of Fallot increases the importance of late complications such as right ventricular dysfunction. This is a prospective study of the right ventricular function in totally corrected Tetralogy of Fallot patients versus healthy children. ⋯ In this study, systolic right ventricular function indices (Sa and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion) were impaired in the totally corrected Tetralogy of Fallot patients. Myocardial performance index was affected by the severity of pulmonary regurgitation.
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J Tehran Heart Cent · Nov 2012
Determinants of length of stay in surgical ward after coronary bypass surgery: glycosylated hemoglobin as a predictor in all patients, diabetic or non-diabetic.
Reports on the determinants of morbidity in coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) have focused on outcome measures such as length of postoperative stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We proposed that major comorbidities in the ICU hampered the prognostic effect of other weaker but important preventable risk factors with effect on patients' length of hospitalization. So we aimed at evaluating postoperative length of stay in the ICU and surgical ward separately. ⋯ This study revealed that the indices of glycemic control were the most important predictors of length of stay in the ward after cardiac surgery in all patients, diabetic or non-diabetic. However, because HbA1c level did not change under the influence of perioperative events, it could be deemed a valuable measure in predicting outcome in CABG candidates.