Novel predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Conduction and rhythm abnormalities requiring permanent pacemakers (PPM) are short-term complications following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and their clinical outcomes remain conflicting. Potential novel predictors of post-TAVR PPM, like QRS duration, QTc prolongation, and supraventricular arrhythmias, have been poorly studied.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of baseline nonspecific interventricular conduction delay and supraventricular arrhythmia on post-TAVR PPM requirement and determine the impact of PPM implantation on clinical outcomes.

Initiation of Dialysis Is Associated With Impaired Cardiovascular Functional Capacity.

Background The transition to dialysis period carries a substantial increased cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease. Despite this, alterations in cardiovascular functional capacity during this transition are largely unknown. The present study therefore sought to assess ventilatory exercise response measures in patients within 1 year of initiating dialysis.

Patient and Graft Survival Outcomes During 2 Eras of Immunosuppression Protocols in Kidney Transplantation: Indiana University Retrospective Cohort Experience.

Background: Since 1964 when Indiana University performed its first kidney transplant, immunosuppression protocol was steroid-based until 2004 when steroid-free immunosuppression protocol was adopted. We describe clinical outcomes on our patients administered early steroid withdrawal (ESW) protocol (5 days) compared with our historical cohort (HC), who were on chronic steroid-based immunosuppression.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study evaluating kidney transplant recipients between 1993 and 2003 (HC, n = 1689) and between 2005 and 2016 (ESW cohort, n = 2097) at the Indiana University program, with a median follow-up of 10.

Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion for the Management of Early Postoperative Pain: A Comprehensive Review of Controlled Trials.

Previously used as anti-arrhythmic, intravenous lidocaine infusion is becoming popular for use in management of acute pain. There is still much to be understood about its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, especially with regard to optimal dosing to avoid side effects. In this article, we selected and reviewed randomized controlled trials to summarize the pharmacokinetics, antinociceptive effects, anti-hyperalgesic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, side effects, and role of intravenous lidocaine in the management of early postoperative pain.

Three-Year Survival after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Findings from the Marshfield Aortic Valve Experience (MAVE) Study.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a rapidly evolving treatment for severe aortic stenosis. However, uncertainties exist for optimal valve selection as there are few long-term studies comparing patient survival by valve type. We hypothesized that self-expandable valves (SEV) would provide a survival advantage over balloon expandable valves (BEV), as SEV continue to expand and might better accommodate to the anatomy of the aortic valve over time.

Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Longitudinal Findings From the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

Objective: Favorable cardiovascular health is associated with greater longevity free of cardiovascular disease. Although the prevalence of cardiovascular health decreases with age, less is known about protective factors that promote and preserve it over time. We investigated whether optimism was associated with better cardiovascular health over a 10-year period.

Positive emotions and favorable cardiovascular health: A 20-year longitudinal study.

No studies have examined whether positive emotions lead to favorable cardiovascular health (CVH) early in the lifespan, before cardiovascular disease is diagnosed. Moreover, the direction of the association has not been thoroughly investigated. Among younger adults, we investigated whether baseline positive emotions were associated with better CVH over 20 years.

Multimodal Intervention Approach Reduces Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections in a Rural Tertiary Care Center.

Objective: To compare the catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) standardized infection rate (SIR) before and after implementation of a multimodal intervention approach in a rural tertiary hospital.

Design: Before-after analysis of a multimodal intervention to evaluate primary outcomes of the incidence of inpatient CAUTI, the SIR for CAUTI, and number of urinary catheter days.

Setting: All inpatient departments of a rural 504-bed tertiary care facility in the Midwest.

Associations between trunk flexion and physical activity of patient care workers for a single shift: A pilot study.

Background: Trunk flexion and occupational physical activity are parameters that have been used to assess and characterize jobs with high physical demands.

Objective: Characterize the physical load of trunk flexion and physical activity of patient care unit (PCU) workers during a single work shift.

Methods: Participants wore an accelerometer to measure physical activity and an inclinometer to assess trunk flexion during a single work shift, which was compared using correlation and linear regression analyses.

An epigenome-wide association analysis of cardiac autonomic responses among a population of welders.

DNA methylation is one of the potential epigenetic mechanisms associated with various adverse cardiovascular effects; however, its association with cardiac autonomic dysfunction, in particular, is unknown. In the current study, we aimed to identify epigenetic variants associated with alterations in cardiac autonomic responses. Cardiac autonomic responses were measured with two novel markers: acceleration capacity (AC) and deceleration capacity (DC).

Are the Associations of Cardiac Acceleration and Deceleration Capacities With Fine Metal Particulate in Welders Mediated by Inflammation?

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether associations of acceleration capacity (AC) and deceleration capacity (DC) with metal-PM2.5 are mediated by inflammation.

Methods: We obtained PM2.

Long-Term Metal PM2.5 Exposures Decrease Cardiac Acceleration and Deceleration Capacities in Welders.

Objective: The aim of the study was to clarify whether long-term metal particulates affect cardiac acceleration capacity (AC), deceleration capacity (DC), or both.

Methods: We calculated chronic exposure index (CEI) for PM2.5 over the work life of 50 boilermakers and obtained their resting AC and DC.

Short-term metal particulate exposures decrease cardiac acceleration and deceleration capacities in welders: a repeated-measures panel study.

Objective: Acceleration (AC) and deceleration (DC) capacities measure heart rate variability during speeding up and slowing down of the heart, respectively. We investigated associations between AC and DC with occupational short-term metal PM2.5 exposures.

Physical activity levels at work and outside of work among commercial construction workers.

Objective: Characterize the number of minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activities at work and outside of work during seven consecutive days, in a sample of 55 commercial construction workers.

Methods: Workers wore accelerometers during work and outside-of-work hours for seven consecutive days and completed brief survey at the seventh day of data collection.

Results: From the directly measured physical activity, the average number per participant of moderate minutes of occupational physical activity and physical activity outside of work obtained in short bouts were 243 minutes (65%) and 130 minutes (35%), respectively.

Physical activity at work contributes little to patient care workers' weekly totals.

Objective: To determine the number of minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity at work in comparison to weekly total minutes in a pilot study of 50 hospital patient care workers.

Methods: Workers wore accelerometers during work and nonwork hours for 7 days, and completed surveys at the end of the seventh day.

Results: Although the participants reported on average 206 minutes of moderate activity at work, the accelerometers recorded on average 30 minutes of moderate activity at work.