Explore the vast range of titles available.

Renal dysfunction is a major risk factor for premature death and has been studied extensively. A new renal syndrome, shrunken pore syndrome (SPS), confers higher mortality in all studied populations. SPS is a condition in which cystatin C-based estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR cystatin C ) is ≥ 60% than creatinine-based estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR creatinine ). We aimed to study the impact of SPS on mortality in a cohort of patients with follow up of up to 10 years. This was a retrospective single centre cohort study. We enrolled 3993 consecutive patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Outcome was evaluated using Kaplan Meier analysis and multivariable Cox regression. 1-, 5- and 10-year survival for patients with SPS was 90%, 59% and 45%, and without SPS 98%, 88% and 80% (p < 0.001). SPS was found to be an independent predictor for mortality with an HR of 1.96 (95% CI 1.63–2.36). SPS negatively affected survival regardless of pre-operative renal function. SPS is an independent predictor for mortality after elective cardiac surgery, equal to or greater than risk factors such as diabetes, impaired left ventricular function or renal dysfunction. SPS affected mortality even in patients with normal eGFR. Clinical registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID NCT04141072.

Cardiothoracic surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) triggers an inflammatory state that may be difficult to differentiate from infection. Heparin-binding protein (HBP) is a candidate biomarker for sepsis. As data indicates that HBP normalizes rapidly after cardiothoracic surgery, it may be a suitable early marker of postoperative infection. We therefore aimed to investigate which variables influence postoperative HBP levels and whether elevated HBP concentration is associated with poor surgical outcome. This exploratory, prospective, observational study enrolled 1475 patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery using CPB, where HBP was measured at ICU arrival. Patients with HBP in the highest tercile were compared to remaining patients. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify factors predictive of elevated HBP and 30-day mortality. Overall median HBP was 30.0 ng/mL. Patients undergoing isolated CABG or surgery with CPB-duration ≤ 60 min had a median HBP of 24.9 ng/mL and 23.2 ng/mL, respectively. Independent predictors of elevated postoperative HBP included increased EuroSCORE, prolonged CPB-duration and high intraoperative temperature. Increased HBP was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality. This study confirms the promising characteristics of HBP as a biomarker for identification of postoperative sepsis, especially after routine procedures. Further studies are required to investigate whether HBP may detect postoperative infections.

To evaluate the hemostatic system with ROTEM in patients undergoing surgery for acute type aortic dissection (ATAAD) using elective aortic procedures as controls. This was a prospective, controlled, observational study. The study was performed at a tertiary referral center and university hospital. Twenty-three patients with ATAAD were compared to 20 control patients undergoing elective surgery of the ascending aorta or the aortic root. ROTEM (INTEM, EXTEM, HEPTEM and FIBTEM) was tested at 6 points in time before, during and after surgery for ATAAD or elective aortic surgery. The ATAAD group had an activated coagulation coming into the surgical theatre. The two groups showed activation of both major coagulation pathways during surgery, but the ATAAD group consistently had larger deficiencies. Reversal of the coagulopathy was successful, although none of the groups reached elective baseline until postoperative day 1. ROTEM did not detect low levels of clotting factors at heparin reversal nor low levels of platelets. This study demonstrated that ATAAD is associated with a coagulopathic state. Surgery causes additional damage to the hemostatic system in ATAAD patients as well as in patients undergoing elective surgery of the ascending aorta or the aortic root. ROTEM does not adequately catch the full coagulopathy in ATAAD. A transfusion protocol in ATAAD should be specifically created to target this complex coagulopathic state and ROTEM does not negate the need for routine laboratory tests.

We evaluated the association between cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time during surgery for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and mid-term survival. Data of 1122 patients who underwent surgery for ATAAD in eight Nordic centers from January 2005 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. An adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association of incremental 30 min CPB time on 30-day mortality. In addition, the patients were divided into those that underwent surgery with >210 min (n = 369) or <210 min CPB time (n = 605) based on spline analysis and a receiver operating characteristic curve. The restricted mean survival time ratios adjusted for patient characteristics and surgical details between the groups were calculated for survival and aortic reoperation-free survival. The median follow-up time was 2.6 (inter-quartile range 0.9–4.9) years. Incremental CPB time was associated with higher 30-day mortality (OR 1.25 per 30 min, 95% CI 1.15–1.35, p < 0.001). Mid-term survival for all patients was inferior in the >210 min group as compared with the <210 min group (adjusted restricted mean survival time ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81–0.96, p = 0.003). Reoperation-free survival was similar in patients with CPB time > 210 min as compared with <210 min. Prolonged CPB time is associated with higher 30-day mortality and inferior mid-term survival but not with inferior reoperation-free survival after surgical repair of ATAAD.

ObjectivesTo analyse the association between ABO blood group and aortic disease using data on blood donors and transfused patients from Sweden.DesignThis was a retrospective study using data from the Swedish portion of the Scandinavian Donations and Transfusions Database. The association between ABO blood group and aortic disease was analysed using log-linear Poisson regression models and presented as incidence rate ratios (IRRs).SettingSwedish population-based study.ParticipantsThe study cohort consisted of 1 164 561 Swedish blood donors and 961 637 transfused patients with a combined follow-up time of 29 390 649 person-years.Primary and secondary outcome measuresIRRs of aortic events (ie, aortic aneurysms and/or aortic dissections) in relation to patient blood group.ResultsA total of 20 684 aortic events occurred during the study period. Non-O donors and patients had similar incidence of aortic events when compared with blood group O donors and patients with an IRR of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.93–1.04) and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.97–1.03), respectively. There were no differences between non-O and blood group O individuals when aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms were analysed separately. Blood group B conferred a lower risk of aortic aneurysms in the patient cohort when compared with blood group O (IRR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85–0.96).ConclusionsIn the present study, there were no statistically significant associations between ABO blood group and the risk of aortic disease. A possible protective effect of blood group B was observed in the patient cohort but this finding requires further investigation.

Background To assess whether retrograde cerebral perfusion reduces neurological injury and mortality in patients undergoing surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. Methods Single-center, retrospective, observational study including all patients undergoing acute type A aortic dissection repair with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest between January 1998 and December 2022 with or without the adjunct of retrograde cerebral perfusion. 515 patients were included: 257 patients with hypothermic circulatory arrest only and 258 patients with hypothermic circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion. The primary endpoints were clinical neurological injury, embolic lesions, and watershed lesions. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of the primary outcomes. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results Clinical neurological injury and embolic lesions were less frequent in patients with retrograde cerebral perfusion (20.2% vs. 28.4%, p  = 0.041 and 13.7% vs. 23.4%, p  = 0.010, respectively), but there was no significant difference in the occurrence of watershed lesions (3.0% vs. 6.1%, p  = 0.156). However, after multivariable logistic regression, retrograde cerebral perfusion was associated with a significant reduction of clinical neurological injury (OR: 0.60; 95% CI 0.36–0.995, p  = 0.049), embolic lesions (OR: 0.55; 95% CI 0.31–0.97, p  = 0.041), and watershed lesions (OR: 0.25; 95%CI 0.07–0.80, p  = 0.027). There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality (12.8% vs. 11.7%, p =  ns) or long-term survival between groups. Conclusion In this study, we showed that the addition of retrograde cerebral perfusion during hypothermic circulatory arrest in the setting of acute type A aortic dissection repair reduced the risk of clinical neurological injury, embolic lesions, and watershed lesions.

Background Patent false lumen has been shown to have a negative impact on prognosis after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). We aimed to assess the effect of postoperative anticoagulation on false lumen patency and clinical outcomes in relation to false lumen status. Methods Postoperative computed tomographies of 156 patients undergoing ATAAD DeBakey type I surgery were retrospectively evaluated for false lumen patency. The patients were divided into groups determined by anticoagulation treatment at discharge. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression was used for analysing the effect of anticoagulation on the false lumen, and Kaplan–Meier estimates were used to assess the association of a patent false lumen with the incidence of reoperation and long-term survival. Results A patent false lumen was present in 81% of the patients. Postoperative anticoagulants were not associated with a patent false lumen ( p  = 0.48) in univariable analysis. In multivariable analysis, both hemiarch replacement (OR 0.15, CI95% 0.05–0.49, p  = 0.001) and the use of betablockers had a protective effect (OR 0.29, CI95% 0.10–0.85, p  = 0.023). The Kaplan–Meier estimates for survival and the composite endpoint of survival and freedom from distal reintervention indicated no difference in outcome between patients in regard to anticoagulation treatment (survival p  = 0.43, composite p  = 0.82 ) or false lumen status (survival p  = 0.21, composite p  = 0.09). Conclusion This study could not show negative effects from the postoperative use of anticoagulants on false lumen status, nor that false lumen patency was associated with poorer prognosis. A hemiarch procedure was shown to be associated with reduced risk of false lumen patency.

IntroductionNeurological complications after surgery for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) increase patient morbidity and mortality. Carbon dioxide flooding is commonly used in open-heart surgery to reduce the risk of air embolism and neurological impairment, but it has not been evaluated in the setting of ATAAD surgery. This report describes the objectives and design of the CARTA trial, investigating whether carbon dioxide flooding reduces neurological injury following surgery for ATAAD.Methods and analysisThe CARTA trial is a single-centre, prospective, randomised, blinded, controlled clinical trial of ATAAD surgery with carbon dioxide flooding of the surgical field. Eighty consecutive patients undergoing repair of ATAAD, and who do not have previous neurological injuries or ongoing neurological symptoms, will be randomised (1:1) to either receive carbon dioxide flooding of the surgical field or not. Routine repair will be performed regardless of the intervention. The primary endpoints are size and number of ischaemic lesions on brain MRI performed after surgery. Secondary endpoints are clinical neurological deficit according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, level of consciousness using the Glasgow Coma Scale motor score, brain injury markers in blood after surgery, neurological function according to the modified Rankin Scale and postoperative recovery 3 months after surgery.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted by Swedish Ethical Review Agency for this study. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed media.Trial registration numberNCT04962646.

Background Neurological injuries are frequent following Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (ATAAD) repair occurring in 4–30% of all patients. Our objective was to study whether S100B can predict neurological injury following ATAAD repair. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study. The study included all patients that underwent ATAAD repair at our institution between Jan 1998 and Dec 2021 and had recorded S100B-values. The primary outcome measure was neurological injury, defined as focal neurological deficit or coma diagnosed by clinical assessment with or without radiological confirmation and with a symptom duration of more than 24 h. Secondary outcome measure was 30-day mortality. Results 538 patients underwent surgery during the study period and 393 patients, had recorded S100B-values. The patients had a mean age of 64.4 ± 11.1 years and 34% were female. Receiver operating characteristic curve for S100B 24 h postoperatively yielded area under the curve 0.687 (95% CI 0.615–0.759) and best Youden’s index corresponded to S100B 0.225 which gave a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 75%. Multivariable logistic regression identified S100B ≥ 0.23 μg/l at 24 h as an independent predictor for neurological injury (OR 4.71, 95% CI 2.59–8.57; p  < 0.01) along with preoperative cerebral malperfusion (OR 4.23, 95% CI 2.03–8.84; p  < 0.01) as well as an independent predictor for 30-day mortality (OR 4.57, 95% CI 1.18–11.70; p  < 0.01). Conclusions We demonstrated that S100B, 24 h after surgery is a strong independent predictor for neurological injury and 30-day mortality after ATAAD repair. Trial registration : As this was a retrospective observational study it was not registered.

Previous studies have demonstrated that environmental and temporal factors may affect the incidence of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). Here, we aimed to investigate the hypothesis that national holidays and weekends influence the incidence of surgery for ATAAD. For the period 1st of January 2005 until 31st of December 2019, we investigated a hypothesised effect of (country-specific) national holidays and weekends on the frequency of 2995 surgical repairs for ATAAD at 10 Nordic cities included in the Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD) collaboration. Compared to other days, the number of ATAAD repairs were 29% (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.54–0.94) lower on national holidays and 26% (RR 0.74; 95% CI 0.68–0.82) lower on weekends. As day of week patterns of symptom duration were assessed and the primary analyses were adjusted for period of year, our findings suggest that the reduced surgical incidence on national holidays and weekends does not seem to correspond to seasonal effects or surgery being delayed and performed on regular working days.