Long-Term Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes in Patients With Clinically Isolated Aortitis.

Objective: The optimal management of patients with incidentally found clinically isolated aortitis (CIA) after aneurysm repair is unclear. This study compared long-term surgical and clinical outcomes after surgical repair of thoracic aortic aneurysm between patients with CIA and patients with noninflammatory etiologies.

Methods: This is a matched cohort study.

Risk of Stroke and Major Bleeding With Vitamin K Antagonist Use After Mitral Valve Repair.

Background: Guidelines are discordant on the use of a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) after mitral valve repair (MVr) to reduce the risk of cerebral embolic events. We performed an observational study among patients who underwent a MVr, without perioperative atrial fibrillation, to determine the risk of cerebral ischemic and major bleeding events with or without VKA.

Methods: From 2004 to 2016, we included patients who underwent MVr, using a national administrative claims database.

Subacute groin complications related to ECMO cannulation are associated with longer hospitalizations.

Subacute groin complications associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation are well recognized, yet their effects on clinical outcomes remain unknown. This single-center, retrospective study reviewed all patients receiving venoarterial ECMO from 01/2017 to 02/2020. Cohorts analyzed included transplanted patients (TPs) and non-transplanted patients (N-TPs) who did or did not develop ECMO-related subacute groin complications.

Reduced survival in patients requiring chest tubes with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Numerous complications requiring tube thoracostomy have been reported among critically ill patients with COVID-19; however, there has been a lack of evidence regarding outcomes following chest tube placement.

Methods: We developed a retrospective observational cohort of all patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with confirmed COVID-19 to describe the incidence of tube thoracostomy and factors associated with mortality following chest tube placement.

Results: In total, 1705 patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients were admitted to our ICUs from March 7, 2020, to March 1, 2021, with 69 out of 1705 patients (4.

The impact of surgeon and hospital procedural volume on outcomes after aortic root replacement in the United States.

Objective: Surgeon procedural volume for complex cardiac procedures have become important quality metrics. The objective is to determine the association of surgeon and hospital case volume on patient outcomes after an aortic root replacement for aortic root aneurysms.

Methods: From 2009 to 2014, 4629 Medicare patients underwent an aortic root replacement for a root aneurysm.

The Surgeon's Role in Cardiogenic Shock.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiogenic shock represents a very challenging patient population due to the undifferentiated pathologies presenting as cardiogenic shock, difficult decision-making, prognostication, and ever-expanding support options. The role of cardiac surgeons on this team is evolving.

Recent Findings: The implementation of a shock team is associated with improved outcomes in patients with cardiogenic shock.

Relationship of intraoperative perfusion parameters to the need for immediate extracorporeal support following heart transplantation.

Purpose: We sought to assess the relationship of intraoperative perfusion parameters while on cardiopulmonary bypass, including oxygen delivery (DO), to the need for ECMO following orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT).

Methods: We included all adult (>18 years old) OHTs performed at our institution since implementation of an electronic perfusion record (March 2019-February 2020). Multi-organ transplants were excluded.

Multiorgan procurement is associated with a survival benefit after heart transplantation.

We assessed the impact of donor multiorgan procurement on survival following orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). From the UNOS STAR database, we included all adult (≥18 Y) heart transplants (OHT) performed since 2000 and used donor IDs to determine how many other organs were procured from the same donor as the recipient's heart allograft (regardless of recipient). The Kaplan-Meier survival functions and risk-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were computed to assess the association of multiorgan procurement with post-heart transplantation mortality.

Activin type II receptor ligand signaling inhibition after experimental ischemic heart failure attenuates cardiac remodeling and prevents fibrosis.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily member that acts as a negative regulator of muscle growth and may play a role in cardiac remodeling. We hypothesized that inhibition of activin type II receptors (ACTRII) to reduce MSTN signaling would reduce pathological cardiac remodeling in experimental heart failure (HF). C57BL/6J mice underwent left anterior descending coronary artery ligation under anesthesia to induce myocardial infarction (MI) or no ligation (sham).

ANGPTL3 Deficiency and Protection Against Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Familial combined hypolipidemia, a Mendelian condition characterized by substantial reductions in all 3 major lipid fractions, is caused by mutations that inactivate the gene angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3). Whether ANGPTL3 deficiency reduces risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) is unknown.

Objectives: The study goal was to leverage 3 distinct lines of evidence-a family that included individuals with complete (compound heterozygote) ANGPTL3 deficiency, a population based-study of humans with partial (heterozygote) ANGPTL3 deficiency, and biomarker levels in patients with myocardial infarction (MI)-to test whether ANGPTL3 deficiency is associated with lower risk for CAD.