National Trends and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Prior studies have reported decreased use of an invasive approach for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether prior TAVR affects the use of subsequent coronary revascularization and outcomes of AMI in a contemporary national data set.

Methods: Consecutive TAVR patients from 2016 to 2022 were identified from the U.

The Northern New England Rapid Deployment Valve Experience: Survival and Procedural Outcomes From 2015 to 2021.

Objective: The optimal approach and choice of initial aortic valve replacement (AVR) is evolving in the growing era of transcatheter AVR. Further survival and hemodynamic data are needed to compare the emerging role of rapid deployment (rdAVR) versus stented (sAVR) valve options for AVR.

Methods: The Northern New England Cardiovascular Database was queried for patients undergoing either isolated AVR or AVR + coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with rdAVR or sAVR aortic valves between 2015 and 2021.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Infective Endocarditis Management and Outcomes: Analysis of a National Clinical Database.

COVID-19 has widely affected health care delivery, but its impact on the management of infective endocarditis (IE), including valve surgery, is uncertain. We compared the national trends in admissions, demographics, and outcomes of IE before and after COVID-19 onset, using a national sample of IE admissions between 2016 and 2022 from the Vizient Clinical Database. The pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 time periods were separated by the start of the second quarter of 2020, the time during which the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.

Left Ventricular Gene Expression in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction-Profibrotic and Proinflammatory Pathways and Genes.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasingly prevalent and has few treatments. The molecular mechanisms and resultant signaling pathways that underlie the development of HFpEF are poorly defined. It has been proposed that activation of proinflammatory pathways plays a role in the development of cardiac fibrosis.

Trends and Predictors of Short Length of Stay Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Minimalist approaches to Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) have allowed for improved efficiency in care of patients. We hypothesized that improved efficiencies in care process may have led to increased adoption of a one night length of stay (LOS) in this patient group.

Objectives: The authors aimed to study temporal trends in short length of stay following TAVR.

Integrated cardiothoracic surgery match: Trends among applicants compared with other surgical subspecialties.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate trends, qualifications, race/ethnicity, and gender of applicants to integrated cardiothoracic (CT I-6) residency programs and compare them with other competitive surgical subspecialties.

Methods: Data were collected from the National Residency Matching Program, Electronic Residency Application Service, and Association of American Medical Colleges for thoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurological surgery, otolaryngology (ENT), plastic surgery, and vascular surgery for 2010 t0 2020. Applicant gender, race/ethnicity, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership, United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, research productivity, and graduation from a top-40 medical school were analyzed.

Assessment of the Early Disabling Effects of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Using Direct Measures of Physical Function.

Purpose: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is an important treatment option in patients with coronary artery disease. Despite its beneficial effects, CABG surgery and its subsequent hospitalization may reduce physical functional capacity in patients, contributing to physical disability. Our objective was to assess the early disabling effects of CABG surgery and its subsequent hospitalization using direct measurements of physical function.

Improvement in Physical Function After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Using a Novel Rehabilitation Intervention: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.

Purpose: Cardiorespiratory and skeletal muscle deconditioning occurs following coronary artery bypass graft surgery and hospitalization. Outpatient, phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is designed to remediate this deconditioning but typically does not begin until several weeks following hospital discharge. Although an exercise program between discharge and the start of CR could improve functional recovery, implementation of exercise at this time is complicated by postoperative physical limitations and restrictions.

Long-term seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcome following trans-middle temporal gyrus amygdalohippocampectomy and standard temporal lobectomy.

Object: Previous comparisons of standard temporal lobectomy (STL) and selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SelAH) have been limited by inadequate long-term follow-up, variable definitions of favorable outcome, and inadequate consideration of psychiatric comorbidities.

Methods: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes in a noncontemporaneous cohort of 69 patients with unilateral refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and MRI evidence of mesial temporal sclerosis after either an STL or an SelAH and examined seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes.

Results: The mean duration of follow-up for STL was 9.

Use of a postoperative insulin protocol decreases wound infection in diabetics undergoing lower extremity bypass.

Objective: Strict glucose control in patients undergoing coronary bypass grafting has been shown to decrease infectious complications, arrhythmias, and mortality. Our objective was to determine if strict glucose control reduced morbidity after lower extremity bypass (LEB).

Methods: A prospective pilot study at a single institution within the Vascular Study Group of New England was conducted from January 2009 to December 2010.

Omega-3 fatty acid treatment and T(2) whole brain relaxation times in bipolar disorder.

Objective: The authors hypothesized that changes in brain membrane composition resulting from omega-3 fatty acid administration in patients with bipolar disorder would result in greater membrane fluidity, as detected by reductions in T(2) values.

Method: Women with bipolar disorder (N=12) received omega-3 fatty acids for 4 weeks. A cohort of bipolar subjects (N=9) and a group without bipolar disorder (N=12) did not receive omega-3 fatty acids.

Lithium and valproic acid treatment effects on brain chemistry in bipolar disorder.

Background: Prior work reported elevated gray matter (GM) lactate and Glx (glutamate + glutamine + GABA) concentrations in unmedicated patients with bipolar disorder (BP) compared with healthy controls (HC). This study examined whether lithium (Li) and valproic acid (VPA) treatment modulated these chemicals.

Methods: A subset of previously reported BP patients were treated with Li (n = 12, 3.

Oral choline decreases brain purine levels in lithium-treated subjects with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: a double-blind trial using proton and lithium magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Objectives: Oral choline administration has been reported to increase brain phosphatidylcholine levels. As phospholipid synthesis for maintaining membrane integrity in mammalian brain cells consumes approximately 10-15% of the total adenosine triphosphate (ATP) pool, an increased availability of brain choline may lead to an increase in ATP consumption. Given reports of genetic studies, which suggest mitochondrial dysfunction, and phosphorus (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies, which report dysfunction in high-energy phosphate metabolism in patients with bipolar disorder, the current study is designed to evaluate the role of oral choline supplementation in modifying high-energy phosphate metabolism in subjects with bipolar disorder.

Multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of high-energy phosphate metabolites in human brain following oral supplementation of creatine-monohydrate.

Alterations in brain high-energy phosphate metabolism, determined by in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), have been reported in subjects with a number of brain disorders including major depression, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. It is not clear to what extent these changes can be modified by pharmacological or nutritional means. To address this possibility, we evaluated changes in brain chemistry that were associated with oral creatine (Cr) administration.