A nomogram predicting pneumonia after cardiac surgery: a retrospective modeling study.

Background: Postoperative pneumonia (POP) is the most prevalent of all nosocomial infections in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to identify independent risk factors for pneumonia after cardiac surgery, from which we constructed a nomogram for prediction.

Methods: The clinical data of patients admitted to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from October 2020 to September 2021 who underwent cardiac surgery were retrospectively analyzed, and the patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had POP: POP group (n=105) and non-POP group (n=1083).

Postoperative hyper-inflammation as a predictor of poor outcomes in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) undergoing surgical repair.

Background: Postoperative hyper-inflammation is a frequent event in patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) after surgical repair. This study's objective was to determine which inflammatory biomarkers could be used to make a better formula for identifying postoperative hyper-inflammation, and which risk factors were associated with hyper-inflammation.

Methods: A total of 405 patients were enrolled in this study from October 1, 2020 to April 1, 2023.

Diagnosis of Early Bacterial Pneumonia and Sepsis After Cardiovascular Surgery: A Diagnostic Prediction Model Based on LASSO Logistic Regression.

Background: Early postoperative bacterial pneumonia and sepsis (ePOPS), which occurs within the first 48 hours after cardiovascular surgery, is a serious life-threatening complication. Diagnosis of ePOPS is extremely challenging, and the existing diagnostic tools are insufficient. The purpose of this study was to construct a novel diagnostic prediction model for ePOPS.

Comparison of Effects of Liuzijue Exercise and Conventional Respiratory Training on Patients after Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of Liuzijue exercise (LE) for the clinical effect in patients after cardiac surgery.

Methods: Totally 120 patients who underwent cardiac surgery and were admitted to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between July and Oclober, 2022 were allocated to the LE group, the conventional respiratory training (CRT) group, and the control group by a random number table at a ratio of 1:1:1; 40 patients in each group. All patients received routine treatment and cardiac rehabilitation.

The low-dose colchicine in patients after non-CABG cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Recent high-quality trials have shown that the anti-inflammatory effects of colchicine reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients suffering post-myocardial infarction and chronic coronary disease. The effect of colchicine in patients undergoing non-coronary artery bypass grafting (non-CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the effect of colchicine on myocardial protection in patients who underwent non-CABG cardiac surgery.

Evaluation of β-blocker therapy for long-term outcomes in patients with low ejection fraction after cardiac surgery.

Background: Preoperative low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has been reported as an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality. However, there were few studies evaluating the long-term mortality in these patients. We, therefore, conducted this study to investigate long-term outcomes of surgery on patients with LVEF≤35% undergoing a broad range of cardiac procedures.

Vacuum-assisted closure . bilateral pectoralis major muscle flaps for deep sternal wounds infection.

Background: Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a life-threatening complication after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the outcomes of reconstructing infected poststernotomy wounds with either vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) after previous debridement or bilateral pectoralis major muscle flaps (BPMMFs).

Methods: In total, 565 patients with postoperative DSWI were enrolled in this study from January 1, 2014, to June 1, 2018.

Preliminary characterization of acute aortic dissection in the mainland of China.

Objective: To explore the differences in the characteristics of acute aortic dissection (AAD) among less and more economically developed countries with various cultures and races.

Data Sources: Reports from the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD) and the mainland of China (MC) were collected by searching the PubMed Database and the Chinese Journal Full-text Database from January 2000 to March 2009.

Study Selection: Those reports from IRAD and MC containing larger numbers of cases and complete patients' information were selected, which focused on concrete issues of diagnosing or managing AAD were excluded if they were not able to reflect the overall characteristics of this condition.