Validation of days alive and out of hospital as a new patient-centered outcome to quantify life impact after heart transplantation.

The number of patients waiting for heart transplantation (HTX) is increasing. Thus, identification of outcome-relevant factors is crucial. This study aimed to identify perioperative factors associated with days alive and out of hospital (DAOH)-a patient-centered outcome to quantify life impact-after HTX.

Impact of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Donors on Days Alive and Out of Hospital after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation.

Background: The number of patients waiting for heart transplantation (HTX) is increasing. Optimizing the use of all available donor hearts is crucial. While mortality seems not to be affected by donor cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the impact of donor CPR on days alive and out of hospital (DAOH) is unclear.

Days alive and out of hospital after left ventricular assist device implantation.

Aims: Implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) as a bridge to transplant or as destination therapy is increasing. The selection of suitable patients and outcome assessment belong to the key challenges. Mortality has traditionally been a focus of research in this field, but literature on quality of life is very limited.

Life impact of VA-ECMO due to primary graft dysfunction in patients after orthotopic heart transplantation.

Aims: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a feared complication after heart transplantation (HTX). HTX patients frequently receive veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) until graft recovery. Long-term mortality of patients weaned from VA-ECMO after HTX is comparable with non-ECMO patients.

Risk Factors for Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Renal Replacement Therapy after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation in Patients with Preserved Renal Function.

Acute kidney injury (AKI), requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). is a serious complication after orthotopic heart transplantation (HTX). In patients with preexisting impaired renal function, postoperative AKI is unsurprising.

The analysis of left ventricular ejection fraction after minimally invasive surgery for primary mitral valve regurgitation.

Background: Although minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has become the first choice for primary mitral regurgitation (MR) in recent years, clinical evidence in this field is yet limited. The main focus of this study was the analysis of preoperative (Pre), postoperative (Post), and 1-year follow-up (Fu) data in our series of MIMVS to identify factors that have an impact on the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) evolution after MIMVS.

Methods: We reviewed the perioperative and 1-year follow-up data from 436 patients with primary MR (338 isolated MIMVS und 98 MIMVS combined with tricuspid valve repair) to analyze patients' baseline characteristics, the change of LV size, the postoperative evolution of LVEF and its factors, and the clinical outcomes.

Enzymatic activity of extracellular circulating proteasome in the CSF of patients with malignant Intrinsic and metastatic brain tumors: proof of concept.

Background: Malignant intrinsic brain tumors are a hazardous disease with limited life expectancy despite intensive research in new targeted treatment options. Lately, proteasome inhibitors have been identified as potent agents causing death in glioma cell lines. It is the aim of the present study to identify proteasomal activity in the CSF of patients suffering from malignant brain tumors.

The Impact of Intraoperative Patient Blood Management on Quality Development in Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: Patient blood management (PBM) is increasingly introduced into clinical practice. Minimizing effects on transfusion have been proven, but relevance for clinical outcome has been sparsely examined. In regard to this, the authors analyzed the impact of introducing intraoperative PBM to cardiac surgery.

Osteopontin as novel biomarker for reversibility of pressure overload induced left ventricular hypertrophy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of osteopontin (OPN) as a marker for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and its reversibility after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Echocardiographic data and OPN plasma levels of 149 consecutive patients undergoing SAVR were obtained preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. OPN was measured by Quantikine Human OPN immunoassay.

Fibrinolysis and the Influence of Tranexamic Acid Dosing in Cardiac Surgery.

Objective: The present study aimed to determine whether underlying disease, performed surgery, and dose of tranexamic acid influence fibrinolysis measured with D-dimer levels.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Single institution (Department of Cardiac Surgery and Section of Clinical Hemostaseology at the Düsseldorf University Hospital).

The Course of Circulating Small Extracellular Vesicles in Patients Undergoing Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

In the last years, increasing efforts have been devoted to investigating the role of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in cardiovascular diseases. These nano-sized particles (30-150 nm), secreted by different cell types, contain signalling molecules that enable participation in intercellular communication processes. In this study, we examined the course of circulating sEVs in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and correlated them with echocardiographic and standard blood parameters.

Cornea donation in Germany: Obtaining consent.

Tissue donation is important to reverse cornea-related blindness. Unfortunately, the willingness to make a decision concerning organ and tissue donation while still alive remains low despite all efforts. By analyzing anonymized archived data from 25 654 next-of-kin interviews from our database over a period of 5 years (2013-2018), it was found that only 20.

Impact of Ca-Sensitive Potassium Channels in Levosimendan-Induced Postconditioning.

Purpose: Small and big conductance Ca-sensitive potassium (K) channels are involved in cardioprotective measures aiming at reducing myocardial reperfusion injury. For levosimendan, infarct size-reducing effects were shown. Whether activation of these channels is involved in levosimendan-induced postconditioning is unknown.

Preconditioning by Levosimendan is Mediated by Activation of Mitochondrial Ca-Sensitive Potassium (mBK) Channels.

Purpose: Activation of mitochondrial large-conductance Ca-sensitive potassium (mBK)-channels is a crucial step for cardioprotection by preconditioning. Whether activation of these channels is involved in levosimendan-induced preconditioning is unknown. We investigated if cardioprotection by levosimendan requires activation of mBK-channels in the rat heart in vitro.

Previous Sternotomy as a Risk Factor in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery.

Background: Cardiac redo surgery, especially after a full sternotomy, is considered a high-risk procedure. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is a potential therapeutic approach. However, current developments in interventional cardiology necessitate additional discussion regarding the therapy of choice in high-risk patients.

T lymphocytes export proteasomes by way of microparticles: a possible mechanism for generation of extracellular proteasomes.

The 20S proteasome is almost exclusively localized within cells. High levels of extracellular proteasomes are also found circulating in the blood plasma of patients suffering from a variety of inflammatory, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. However, the origin of these proteasomes remained enigmatic.

CCL18 in serum, BAL fluid and alveolar macrophage culture supernatant in interstitial lung diseases.

Background: CCL18 is a CC chemokine produced mainly by antigen-presenting cells, and is chemotactic predominantly for T-lymphocytes. CCL18 can stimulate pulmonary fibroblasts and increase the collagen production in vitro.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the CCL18 levels in a variety of human biological fluids between various interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and to reveal potential correlations with BAL cell differentials.

Circulating extracellular proteasome in the cerebrospinal fluid: a study on concentration and proteolytic activity.

Alterations of the intracellular ubiquitin-proteasome pathway are found in neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system, as well as in its malignancies. Inhibitory substrates of the proteasomes represent promising approaches to control autoimmune inflammations and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. Extracellular circulating proteasomes are positively correlated to outcome prognosis in hematogenic neoplasias and the outcome in critically ill patients.

Circulating 20S proteasome in patients with non-metastasized breast cancer.

Background: Recent data suggest a role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in various malignancies. In patients with neoplasms, increased extracellular concentrations of circulating 20S proteasome (c-proteasome) have been detected in blood plasma. We tested the hypothesis that the plasma c-proteasome concentration is a biomarker associated with tumor stage and nodal status in patients with the primary diagnosis of non-metastatic breast cancer.

The prognostic impact of circulating proteasome concentrations in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: Intracellularly, the ubiquitin-proteasome system participates in crucial functions such as cell cycling, differentiation, proliferation, gene transcription, and apoptosis. However, in malignancies including ovarian cancer increased extracellular concentrations of circulating 20S proteasomes (c-proteasomes) have been detected in blood. We tested the hypothesis that the c-proteasome plasma concentration is a biomarker associated with the clinical course of ovarian cancer patients.

Extracellular alveolar proteasome: possible role in lung injury and repair.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is the major intracellular pathway for protein degradation in eukaryotes, and it also generates oligopeptides for antigen presentation. However, the 20S proteasome is also associated with the cell's outer membrane, and observations indicate its physiologic presence and biological activity in the extracellular alveolar space (i.e.

Ventricular unloading is associated with increased 20s proteasome protein expression in the myocardium.

Background: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) breaks down misfolded and normal proteins, including cell cycle regulatory proteins involved in cardiac hypertrophy. Because congestive heart failure (CHF) increases cardiomyocyte cellular mass, indicative of increased protein synthesis and/or impaired breakdown, and ventricular unloading decreases cardiac hypertrophy and changes regulation of multiple molecular systems ("reverse cardiac remodeling"), we tested the hypothesis that ventricular unloading alters myocardial UPS.

Methods: In 23 paired myocardial specimens (before and after unloading) ubiquitin, 20S proteasome, and cyclin D1 were investigated immunohistochemically and morphometrically quantified in relation to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, DNA content, nuclear profile area and perimeter, and cyclin D1 protein expression.

Proteasomes in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after burn and inhalation injury.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 26S proteasome is detectable in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and whether burn and inhalation injury is accompanied by changes in BALF proteasome content or activity. BALF was obtained on hospital admission from 28 patients with burn and inhalation injury (controls: 10 healthy volunteers). Proteasome concentrations were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and their native molecular mass was assessed by gel filtration.

Angiogenic and angiostatic chemokines in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and granulomatous lung disease.

Background: Angiogenesis-angiostasis balance and leukocyte recruitment are influenced by different concentrations of distinct chemokines.

Objective: To investigate the relative contribution of angiogenic and angiostatic CXC chemokines to the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and granulomatous lung diseases, we examined the in vitro production of an angiogenic chemokine (IL-8), and 2 angiostatic chemokines (IP-10 and MIG) by alveolar macrophages.

Methods: Alveolar macrophages from 16 patients with granulomatous lung diseases [8 with sarcoidosis, 8 with extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA)], 16 patients with IPF, and 8 control subjects were cultured for 24 h.