suPAR Cut-Offs for Risk Stratification in Patients With Symptoms of COVID-19.

Objectives: Elevated soluble urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) is a biomarker associated with adverse outcomes. We aimed to investigate the associations between plasma suPAR levels (testing the cut-offs ⩽4, 4-6, and ⩾6 ng/mL) with risk of 14-day mortality, and with the risk of mechanical ventilation in patients that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Observational cohort study of patients presenting with symptoms of COVID-19 at Department of Emergency Medicine, Amager and Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark from March 19th, 2020 to April 3rd, 2020.

Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor as a Decision Marker for Early Discharge of Patients with COVID-19 Symptoms in the Emergency Department.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (The Covid-19 pandemic) strains health care capacity. Better risk stratification, with discharge of patients with a predicted mild disease trajectory, can ease this burden. Elevated blood-soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) has previously been shown to be associated with risk of intubation in confirmed COVID-19 patients.

suPAR is associated with risk of future acute surgery and post-operative mortality in acutely admitted medical patients.

Background: Acutely admitted medical patients are often fragile and in risk of future surgery. The biomarker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a predictor of readmission and mortality in the acute care setting. We aimed to investigate if suPAR also predicts acute surgery, which is associated with higher mortality than elective surgery, and if it predicts post-operative mortality.

Rarity of invasiveness in right-sided infective endocarditis.

Objective: The rarity of invasiveness of right-sided infective endocarditis (IE) compared with left-sided has not been well recognized and evaluated. Thus, we compared invasiveness of right- versus left-sided IE in surgically treated patients.

Patients And Methods: From January 2002 to January 2015, 1292 patients underwent surgery for active IE, 138 right-sided and 1224 left-sided.

Readmittance rates within seven days are preferable in quality measuring of emergency departments.

Introduction: The objective of this article was to qualify and test the recommendations of a national Danish report. We conducted an investigation on the readmittance rate as well as reasons for readmittance in a patient cohort defined through the process of internal audit at the Emergency Department at Zealand University Hospital, Køge, Denmark.

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study of admitted patients in November 2014, including a total of 1,440 patients.

Hemodynamic effect of sustained pulmonary hyperinflation in patients after cardiac surgery: open vs. closed chest.

Background: In a previous study, we showed that sustained pulmonary hyperinflation, i.e. a lung recruitment maneuver, after closure of the chest in patients undergoing cardiac surgery had significantly negative effects on the central hemodynamics.

Lung recruitment maneuver depresses central hemodynamics in patients following cardiac surgery.

Objective: To assess the impact of the lung recruitment maneuver on circulation following cardiac surgery.

Design And Setting: Prospective randomized cross-over study at the Departments of Anesthesia and Thoracic Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital.

Patients: Ten adult undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Fifteen years' clinical experience with the CarboMedics prosthetic heart valve.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The CarboMedics bileaflet prosthetic heart valve was first implanted as part of a prospective clinical study at the authors' institution in November 1987. The patient cohort included was part of a multicenter trial set up by the manufacturer for an FDA application. The present report details findings over a 15-year period, with a continuous follow up on this patient cohort.

Fourteen years' experience with the CarboMedics valve in young adults with aortic valve disease.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Homografts and the Ross procedure are recommended by many surgeons for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in young adults. The study aim was to monitor patient outcome over a 14-year period after implanting mechanical CarboMedics prosthetic heart valves in young adults with aortic valve disease.

Methods: Between November 1987 and December 2000, 55 patients (42 males, 13 females; median age 33 years; range 15-40 years) each received a CarboMedics valve in the aortic position.

Twelve years' clinical experience with the CarboMedics prosthetic heart valve.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The CarboMedics bileaflet prosthetic heart valve was first implanted as part of a prospective clinical study at the authors' institution in November 1987. The patient cohort included was part of a multicenter trial set up by the manufacturer for an FDA application. The present report details findings over a 12-year period, with a continuous follow up on this patient cohort.

Recurrent endocarditis in silver-coated heart valve prosthesis.

Background And Aim Of The Study: In order to prevent prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), the implantation of a new silver-coated sewing ring has been introduced to provide peri- and postoperative protection against microbial infection.

Methods: A 56-year-old woman with aortic stenosis had elective replacement with a St. Jude Medical mechanical valve fitted with a silver-coated sewing ring (Silzone).

Treatment of aortic valve endocarditis with the Ross operation.

Objective: Standard treatment of patients with infective endocarditis is radical debridement and valve replacement, in cases with advanced pathology the treatment is usually root replacement with either a composite graft or a homograft. Enthusiasm for the use of the Ross operation in non-infective aortic valve disease is increasing, but use of the pulmonary autograft in the treatment of aortic valve endocarditis has been limited. The objective of this prospective study is to present the technique and results of our experience with aortic valve endocarditis treated with the Ross operation.

Early autograft endocarditis after Ross operation: a case history.

A case of early autograft endocarditis occurring three weeks after a Ross operation is described. The origin of the infection appeared to be the proximal suture line of the autograft and the pathology included subvalvular destruction of the autograft, a pseudoaneurysm between the autograft and the left atrium, and a fistula to and a vegetation in the roof of the left atrium. The valve cusps were unaffected and there was only slight autograft insufficiency (grade I-II).

[Prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in Danish patients with hypertension].

The aim of this investigation was to study the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in a hypertensive population with reference to a normotensive control group. From the general population, 3498 men and women aged 35, 45, 55 and 65 years old were invited to a health examination. Participants with blood pressure above 160 mmHg systolic and/or 95 mmHg diastolic or participants currently taking antihypertensive medication or having done so during the previous six months were asked to undergo an echocardiographic examination.

Efficacy and safety of dofetilide, a new class III antiarrhythmic agent, in acute termination of atrial fibrillation or flutter after coronary artery bypass surgery. Dofetilide Post-CABG Study Group.

Ninety-eight patients, who developed atrial fibrillation/flutter after coronary artery bypass grafting within 1-6 days after surgery, were included into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to assess the efficacy and safety of dofetilide. Patients were randomly allocated to dofetilide 4 micrograms/kg i.v.

Changing indications for the Ross operation.

The first Ross operation in Copenhagen was performed in 1992, and from the beginning of the series, which now numbers 80 patients, the underlying philosophy has been based on our belief that the autograft/Ross operation possesses a number of important and unique advantages compared with other alternatives, particularly for patients with complicated aortic valve disease in which alternative treatments are not satisfactory. The series includes patients of 6 weeks to 71 years of age, many with complicating conditions (endocarditis, 24 patients [native valve, 15; prosthetic valve, 9; advanced 17; active, 15; healed, 9], prosthetic valve dysfunction, 4; small aortic root, 2; ascending aortic aneurysm, 5; ventricular septum defect, 2; mitral valve disease, 7; tricuspid valve disease, 2; rheumatic heart disease, 7; aortic annular dilatation, 2; coronary artery disease, 4; extreme obesity, 1; severely reduced left ventricular function, 7; and previous heart surgery, 28). Mortality is low: hospital mortality, 3 patients (3.

A systematic technical approach to the Ross operation.

The Ross operation is a technically demanding procedure. The pressure on the surgeon to produce consistently good results from the very first operation is great, since he is not afforded the luxury of a very soft "learning curve", as is the case with many technically difficult operations, due to the availability of acceptable and safe alternatives for most Ross candidates. We have felt this pressure from the outset and this has motivated a commitment to the development of a systematic surgical technique in an attempt to achieve consistently excellent results.

Prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in a hypertensive population.

Aims: This investigation was set up to study the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in a hypertensive population with reference to a normotensive control group. From the general population 3498 men and women aged 35, 45, 55 and 65 years old were invited to a health examination. Participants with blood pressure above 160 mmHg systolic or 95 mmHg diastolic or those taking antihypertensive medication or having done so during the previous 6 months were asked to undergo an echocardiographic examination.

Seven-and-a-half years clinical experience with the CarboMedics prosthetic heart valve.

Seven and a half year clinical experience with the CarboMedics prosthetic heart valve is presented. A total of 287 valves were inserted in 277 patients. The first 132 patients were followed in a prospective, and the remaining 145 patients in a partly prospective and partly retrospective manner.

Intraoperative echocardiographic study of air embolism during cardiac operations.

Background: Central nervous system damage remains a feared complication after heart operations. Air embolism (AE) is one of several possible causes of central nervous system damage. In previous studies, intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (ITEE) has been used to detect AE, but identification of the periods of risk and the origin of AE is lacking.