Sex differences in outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting: a meta-analysis.

Objectives: Previous reports have found females are a higher risk of morbidity and mortality following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Here, we describe the differences in outcomes following isolated CABG between males and females.

Methods: Following a systematic literature search, studies reporting sex-related outcomes following isolated CABG were pooled in a meta-analysis performed using the generic inverse variance method.

Effects of Experimental Interventions to Improve the Biomedical Peer-Review Process: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Quality of the peer-review process has been tested only in small studies. We describe and summarize the randomized trials that investigated interventions aimed at improving peer-review process of biomedical manuscripts. Methods and Results All randomized trials comparing different peer-review interventions at author-, reviewer-, and/or editor-level were included.

Comparison of SYNTAX score strata effects of percutaneous and surgical revascularization trials: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: The evidence supporting the use of the Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score for risk stratification is controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all the randomized controlled trials comparing percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting that reported their outcomes stratified by SYNTAX score, focusing on between-strata comparisons.

Methods: A systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library databases was performed.

Angiographic Patency of Coronary Artery Bypass Conduits: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Background Several randomized trials have compared the patency of coronary artery bypass conduits. All of the published studies, however, have performed pairwise comparisons and a comprehensive evaluation of the patency rates of all conduits has yet to be published. We set out to investigate the angiographic patency rates of all conduits used in coronary bypass surgery by performing a network meta-analysis of the current available randomized evidence.

Treatment strategies in ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction: a network meta-analysis.

Objectives: The optimal revascularization strategy for patients with ischaemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction (iLVSD) remains controversial. We aimed to compare percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and medical therapy (MT) in a network meta-analysis.

Methods: All randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing any combination of PCI, CABG and MT in patients with iLVSD were analysed in a frequentist network meta-analysis (generic inverse variance method).

Overall and Cause-Specific Mortality in Randomized Clinical Trials Comparing Percutaneous Interventions With Coronary Bypass Surgery: A Meta-analysis.

Importance: Mortality is a common outcome in trials comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Controversy exists regarding whether all-cause mortality or cardiac mortality is preferred as a study end point, because noncardiac mortality should be unrelated to the treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the difference in all-cause and cause-specific mortality in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing PCI with CABG for the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease.

Publication of cardiac surgery research papers in top cardiovascular journals.

Background And Aim: To evaluate the publication rate of articles related to cardiac surgery in the four main cardiovascular journals over the last 5 years.

Methods: A bibliometric review of all full-length articles published between January 2014 and March 2020 in the top four cardiovascular journals (Circulation, European Heart Journal (EHJ), Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), and JAMA Cardiology) was conducted. For each eligible article in the four journals, the journal of publication, study design, area of interest, country of origin, and type of intervention tested (for cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology studies) were extracted.

Robustness of the Comparative Observational Evidence Supporting Class I and II Cardiac Surgery Procedures.

Background Current cardiac surgery guidelines give Class I and II recommendations to valve-sparing root replacement over the Bentall procedure, mitral valve (MV) repair over replacement, and multiple arterial grafting with bilateral internal thoracic artery based on observational evidence. We evaluated the robustness of the observational studies supporting these recommendations using the E value, an index of unmeasured confounding. Methods and Results Observational studies cited in the guidelines and in the 3 largest meta-analyses comparing the procedures were evaluated for statistically significant effect measures.

Spinal cord injury after open and endovascular repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms: A meta-analysis.

Objective: An inclusive contemporary analysis of spinal cord injury (SCI) rates in patients undergoing aneurysm repair and the factors associated with complications has not been performed.

Methods: Following a systematic literature search, studies from 2008 to 2018 on repair of descending thoracic aneurysm (DTA) and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) were pooled in a meta-analysis performed using the generic inverse variance method. The primary outcome was permanent SCI.

Open Repair of Descending Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Contemporary outcomes of open repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms (DTAs) have not been analyzed in an inclusive meta-analysis.

Methods: After a systematic literature search, studies from 2008 to 2018 reporting outcomes of open repair of DTAs or TAAAs were pooled in a single-arm meta-analysis performed using the generic inverse variance method. Primary outcome was operative mortality.

Diagnostic dilemma of perioperative myocardial infarction after coronary artery bypass grafting: A review.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is one of the most commonly performed cardiac procedures in the United States (US) and Europe. In the US, perioperative morbidity and mortality related to CABG are below 5%. One of the most significant complications following CABG, however, is perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI).

Effect of Concomitant Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Outcomes of Ascending Aorta Replacement.

Background: Ascending aorta replacement can be performed safely in high-volume centers. What remains unknown is whether concomitant coronary revascularization with bypass grafting affects postoperative outcomes.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed a prospectively maintained institutional database for patients who underwent ascending aorta replacement (AAR) during the period from 1997 to 2018.

Characteristics, results, and reporting of contemporary surgical trials: A systematic review and analysis.

Introduction: The complexities and risks inherent to the field of surgery and surgical interventions present unique challenges to the design and analysis of surgical randomized controlled trials (RCT). Prior studies have investigated the practical and methodologic challenges posed by surgical RCTs. To date, however, a comprehensive analysis of the contemporary literature across multiple surgical subspecialties does not exist.

The translation of surgical animal models to human clinical research: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Surgical animal models are used in pre-clinical scientific studies. To date there has not been an analysis of how effective these data are when translated to human/clinical research. In this retrospective review, we evaluate the impact of studies using surgical animal models on human/clinical research through study-level analysis of citations.

Comparison of the effects of hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration on left ventricular hypertrophy in end-stage renal disease patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Whether hemodiafiltration (HDF) is better than conventional hemodialysis (HD) in improving left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), defined as reduction of the left ventricular mass index (LVMi) and increasing the ejection fraction (EF), is unclear. A systematic literature search was performed. Primary outcome was the mean difference between pre- and post-procedural LVMi.

Effect of atrial pacing on post-operative atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting: Pairwise and network meta-analyses.

Background: To determine the effect of atrial pacing on the rate of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: After a systematic literature search, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing any combination of no pacing (NP), bi-atrial (BiA) pacing, left-atrial (LA) pacing and right-atrial (RA) pacing were included. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed using the generic inverse variance method.

Intraoperative graft flow profiles in coronary artery bypass surgery: A meta-analysis.

Background: Conduits used in coronary artery bypass artery grafting (CABG) have different properties and flow profiles. We compared intraoperative mean graft flow (MGF) between arterial and venous conduits, off-pump CABG (OPCABG) and on-pump CABG (ONCABG) procedures, skeletonized and pedicled internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts, and pulsatility index (PI) between OPCABG and ONCABG, in pairwise meta-analyses.

Methods: Following a systematic literature search, all studies comparing MGF in arterial and venous grafts, were included.

Changes in the socioeconomic status of patients receiving TAVR in New York State.

Background: When transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October 2011, it was an innovative treatment with limited accessibility. However, over the past few years, TAVR has become standard of care in patients with aortic stenosis. The effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on this transition of use of TAVR is unknown.

The current state of animal models in research: A review.

Animal models have provided invaluable information in the pursuit of medical knowledge and alleviation of human suffering. The foundations of our basic understanding of disease pathophysiology and human anatomy can largely be attributed to preclinical investigations using various animal models. Recently, however, the scientific community, citing concerns about animal welfare as well as the validity and applicability of outcomes, has called the use of animals in research into question.

High-dose versus low-dose opioid anesthesia in adult cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis.

Study Objective: We performed a systematic comparison of high-dose and low-dose opioid anesthesia in cardiac surgery.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Setting: Operating room.