Use of SGLT2 Inhibitors in Frail Older Adults is Associated with Increased Survival: A Retrospective Study.

Background: In recent years, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have emerged as a valuable treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure. Despite these medications seeming to be safe in older people, the literature about SGLT2i and frailty is still limited. This study aims to evaluate whether SGLT2i use is associated with increased survival in older adults and if frailty can affect the findings.

Comparative Analysis of Irrigation Mist and CO vs. Direct CO Blower in On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Anastomosis: Efficacy, Efficiency, and Fibrillation upon De-Clamping and Micro-Embolic Gas Activity Incidence.

In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on pump, achieving optimal visualization is critical for surgical precision and safety. The use of blowers to clear the CABG anastomosis poses risks, including the formation of micro-embolic gas bubbles, which can be insidious and increase the risk of cerebral or myocardial complications. This retrospective study compares the effectiveness of the use of irrigation mist and CO versus a direct CO blower without irrigation in terms of visualization, postoperative fibrillation, and micro-embolic gas activity.

Post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defects: incidence and treatment trends during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a serious complication of myocardial infarction (MI), with its global incidence significantly reduced in recent years due to advances in coronary reperfusion techniques. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an unexpected rise in the incidence of post-MI VSD, likely driven by delays in seeking treatment. This study retrospectively analyzed 10 cases of post-MI VSD treated at our hospitals from March 2018 to August 2023, comparing incidence rates across pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods.

Impact of Inflammation After Cardiac Surgery on 30-Day Mortality and Machine Learning Risk Prediction.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) on 30-day mortality following cardiac surgery and develop a machine learning model to predict SIRS.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Single tertiary care hospital.

Valvular and perivalvular thrombosis following self-expandable aortic valve replacement: analysis of 100 multi-detector computed tomography scans.

Aims: Subclinical thrombosis may represent an early stage of prosthesis structural disease. Most of the available evidence on the incidence, location, predictors, and consequences of thrombosis comes from studies that have employed balloon-expandable valves. We aimed to describe the different localisations of valvular and perivalvular thrombosis and analyse prosthesis-host multi-detector computed tomography predictors in the context of self-expandable prosthesis.

Post-implant transcatheter aortic prosthesis deformation: tricuspid versus bicuspid valve.

Objectives: We sought to assess whether post-implant transcatheter aortic valve prosthesis multidetector computed characteristics differ between patients with native tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valve stenosis, as well as the effect on valve performance and clinical implications.

Methods: We analysed 100 consecutive post-implant multidetector computed tomography scans to assess self-expandable prosthesis non-uniform expansion at 6 pre-specified valvular levels, and other specific parameters, including valvular and perivalvular thrombosis at 6 months follow-up. Echocardiographic prosthesis performance and clinical outcome were also evaluated.

Mechanical heart valves between myths and new evidence: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: The use of mechanical valve prostheses in cardiac surgery remains a necessary and indicated intervention in a large number of patients. However, predicted results associated with their use, on which current guideline recommendations have been developed, are based on dated studies at risk of bias (e.g.

The State-of-the-Art of Infections and the Causal Link with Health Settings: A Systematic Review.

(1) Background. A definition of healthcare-associated infections is essential also for the attribution of the restorative burden to healthcare facilities in case of harm and for clinical risk management strategies. Regarding infections, there remains several issues on the ecosystem and pathogenesis.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Neuropsychological and Emotional-Behavioural Development in a Group of 8- and 9-Year-Old Children.

: The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the psychological well-being of millions of people around the world, and even more so among children. Contracting SARS-CoV-2, resulting in home confinement and restrictions on daily and school activities, led to negative effects on the mental health of the paediatric population. Although children suffering from COVID-19 had milder general symptoms compared to adults, impairments in cognitive, neuropsychological, and emotional-behavioural development were noted.

Health Technology Assessment of Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuit with and without Phosphorylcholine Coating: A Retrospective Study on Safety and Efficiency in Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Phosphorylcholine has emerged as a potential adjunctive agent in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits. Phosphorylcholine serves as a coating for the CPB circuit, potentially enhancing biocompatibility and reducing thrombotic events. However, its impact on specific patient populations and procedural outcomes remains underexplored.

Evolocumab Treatment in Dyslipidemic Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: One-Year Safety and Efficacy Results.

The inhibition of PCSK9 lowered LDL cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. However, the effect on patients who have undergone surgical myocardial revascularization has not yet been evaluated. From January 2017 to December 2022, 180 dyslipidemic patients who underwent coronary artery bypass were included in the study.

Hemadsorption to Contain Postoperative Cell-Free Hemoglobin and Haptoglobin Preservation for Extended Cardiopulmonary Bypass Time in Cardiac Surgery for Acute Kidney Injuries Prevention.

Introduction: Prevention of acute kidney injury during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is still a challenge and has been the object of numerous studies. The incidence of acute kidney injury in the context of CPB is related to a multifactorial etiology. The role of hemadsorption in relation to cell-free hemoglobin and haptoglobin preservation is not well defined in the literature on CPB during cardiac surgery procedures.

Clinical and echocardiographic results of the MEMO 4D semi-rigid annuloplasty ring.

Background: Mitral regurgitation is a frequent valvular disease, with an increasing prevalence. We analyzed the short-term outcomes of mitral valve repair procedures conducted in our clinic using a new semirigid annuloplasty ring featuring a gradual saddle shape design.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed mitral valve repair surgeries performed at our Institution between December 2019 and November 2021 with the MEMO 4D semirigid annuloplasty ring.

Develop of endocavitary suction device for MiECC on minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.

The minimally invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) system was developed to minimize the contact of blood with air and foreign surfaces during conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). It is also aimed to reduce the inflammatory response by further increasing the biocompatibility of the components that make up the MiECC circuits. The Minithoracotomy (MTH) approach for mitral valve disease remains associated with prolonged operative times, but it is beneficial in terms of reduced postoperative complications (renal failure, atrial fibrillation, blood transfusion, wound infection), length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) and in hospitalization, with finally a reduction in global cost.

Safety and Efficacy of PCSK9 Inhibitors in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Who Underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts: A Comparative Retrospective Analysis.

. The in-hospital reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is recommended in the current clinical guidelines. However, the efficacy of proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors in those patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) has never been demonstrated.

[Choosing a tailored prosthetic valve in cardiac surgery: what is the current role of mechanical prostheses?].

The choice of the mechanical/biological heart valve prosthesis is a topic currently debated in the light of the transcatheter prosthetic models and the results obtained/expected with the new biological valve models. Consequently, it seems that increasingly younger patients would be indicated for an implantation of a biological prosthesis. This is also in order to improve the quality of life of patients who want to avoid oral anticoagulant therapy.