Extensive infective endocarditis (EIE) involving the valve annulus or the intervalvular fibrous body (IFB) is a treatment challenge. We sought to clarify the outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for EIE.We retrospectively reviewed all 197 consecutive patients who underwent an operation for infective endocarditis (IE) between 2005 and 2016 in the Helsinki University Hospital. Thirty-five (18%) patients had EIE, of which 17 (9%) infection extended to IFB.Patients with EIE had higher EuroSCORE II (24.4% vs. 12.4% p < .001), higher frequency of diabetes (29% vs. 13% p = .017), more often NYHA Class IV (83% vs. 56% p = .02), aortic (97% vs. 45% p < .001), multivalve (40% vs. 11% p < .001), and prosthetic valve IE (37% vs. 9% p < .001), and underwent more often emergency surgery (46% vs. 29% p = .042). Thirty-day mortality was 9% in the EIE group and 7% in the non-EIE group (p = .720). Survival of patients with EIE at 5 years was 60% and with non-EIE 71% (p = .029). The frequency of complications was higher in EIE (54%) than in non-EIE patients (25%) (p < .001), due to the higher need for permanent pacemaker implantations (34% vs. 4% p < .001). Freedom from re-operations at 5 years was 91% in the EIE group and 97% in the non-EIE group (p = .203).Early mortality of surgery for EIE was comparable with non-EIE. Midterm survival was lower after surgery for EIE than after surgery for non-EIE but there was no difference in survival of patients with IE limited to the valve annulus amenable to patch repair and patients with endocarditis requiring IFB reconstruction.
The optimal treatment strategy for intravenous drug users (IVDU) with infective endocarditis (IE) is controversial. We therefore sought to investigate outcomes among IVDUs after surgery for IE.We retrospectively reviewed all 192 consecutive patients who underwent an operation for IE between 2005 and 2016 in the Helsinki University Hospital. Forty-seven patients (24.5%) were IVDUs and 145 (75.5%) were non-IVDUs. Mortality and reinfection and reoperation rates were evaluated.IVDUs were younger (29.9 vs. 63.8 years, p < 0.001) and had less cardiovascular risk factors and lower EuroSCORE II (4.3 vs. 7.3%, p < 0.001), but Staphylococcus aureus infection (66.0 vs. 23.4%, p < 0.001), tricuspid valve endocarditis (34.0 vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001), and liver disease (63.8 vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001) occurred more often in IVDUs than in non-IVDUs. Thirty-day mortality of IVDUs was 8.5% and that of non-IVDUs was 6.9% (p = 0.711). Survival of IVDUs at 5 years was 70.8 ± 7.4% and survival of non-IVDUs was 67.9 ± 4.7% (p = 0.678). Relative to an age- and sex-matched general population, IVDUs had 58.6 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.7-101.9; p < 0.001) and non-IVUD 4.4 (95% CI: 3.1-6.2; p < 0.001) standardized mortality ratio. IVDUs had a higher reinfection rate at 5 years (25.8 ± 7.7% vs. 3.0 ± 1.7%, p < 0.001) and a higher early reoperation rate than non-IVDUs (10.6 vs. 1.4%, p = 0.003).IVDUs and non-IVDUs had comparable survival at 5 years, but IVDUs had a very significantly increased risk of death in comparison to an age- and sex-matched general population. IVDUs had higher reinfection and early reoperation rates. Survival was poor after medically treated reinfection.
Purpose Poor physical fitness and obesity are risk factors for all cause morbidity and mortality. We aimed to clarify whether common genetic variants of key energy intake determinants in leptin (LEP), leptin receptor (LEPR), and fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) are associated with aerobic and neuromuscular performance, and whether aerobic fitness can alter the effect of these genotypes on body composition. Methods 846 healthy Finnish males of Caucasian origin were genotyped for FTO (rs8050136), LEP (rs7799039) and LEPR (rs8179183 and rs1137101) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and studied for associations with maximal oxygen consumption, body fat percent, serum leptin levels, waist circumference and maximal force of leg extensor muscles. Results Genotype AA of the FTO SNP rs8050136 associated with higher BMI and greater waist circumference compared to the genotype CC. In general linear model, no significant interaction for FTO genotype-relative VO2max (mL·kg−1·min−1) or FTO genotype-absolute VO2max (L·min−1) on BMI or waist circumference was found. Main effects of aerobic performance on body composition traits were significant (p<0.001). Logistic regression modelling found no significant interaction between aerobic fitness and FTO genotype. LEP SNP rs7799039, LEPR SNPs rs8179183 and rs1137101 did not associate with any of the measured variables, and no significant interactions of LEP or LEPR genotype with aerobic fitness were observed. In addition, none of the studied SNPs associated with aerobic or neuromuscular performance. Conclusions Aerobic fitness may not modify the effect of FTO variation on body composition traits. However, relative aerobic capacity associates with lower BMI and waist circumference regardless of the FTO genotype. FTO, LEP and LEPR genotypes unlikely associate with physical performance.
The ability of thymic histopathology to predict the long-term impact of thymectomy in non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis (NTMG) is mainly uncharted. We applied digital pathology to quantitatively characterize differences of thymic histology between early-onset (EOMG) and late-onset MG (LOMG) and to investigate the role of thymic changes for thymectomy outcomes in MG. We analyzed 83 thymic H&E slides from thymectomized NTMG patients, of which 69 had EOMG and 14 LOMG, using digital pathology open-access software QuPath. We compared the results to the retrospectively assessed clinical outcome at two years after thymectomy and at the last follow-up visit where complete stable remission and minimal use of medication were primary outcomes. The automated annotation pipeline was an effective and reliable way to analyze thymic H&E samples compared to manual annotation with mean intraclass correlation of 0.80. The ratio of thymic tissue to stroma and fat was increased in EOMG compared to LOMG (p = 8.7e-07), whereas no difference was observed in the ratio of medulla to cortex between these subtypes. AChRAb seropositivity correlated with the number of ectopic germinal centers (eGC; p = 0.00067) but not with other histological areas. Patients with an increased number of eGCs had better post-thymectomy outcomes at two years after thymectomy (p = 0.0035) and at the last follow-up (p = 0.0267). ROC analysis showed that eGC area predicts thymectomy outcome in EOMG with an AUC of 0.79. Digital pathology can thus help in providing a predictive tool to the clinician, the eGC number, to guide the post-thymectomy treatment decisions in EOMG patients.
Timing of surgery for infective endocarditis is controversial. The objective of this study was to report the outcomes of early vs delayed surgery (DS) of mitral endocarditis.We retrospectively reviewed all patients treated surgically for mitral endocarditis between 2005 and 2016 in a single center. We analyzed midterm outcomes of early surgery (ES; surgery within 7 days or less of prior directed antibiotic treatment) in comparison to DS (surgery after more than 7 days of prior directed antibiotic treatment).Survival of all patients was 87% at one and 72% at 5 years. Mean follow-up time was 4.0 ± 3.1 years. Thirty-three (36.3%) patients were in the ES and 58 (63.7%) were in the DS group. Patients with ES were younger (47.4 vs 55.3 years), were in New York Heart Association class III or IV more frequently (97.0 vs 65.5%), and had higher EuroScore2 (15.6 vs 8.6%). The ES group had lower freedom from valve reoperation (98.2 vs 87.2%; P = .035) and the composite endpoint of >2 + regurgitation or reoperation at 5 years (98.2 vs 72.7%; P = .004).ES was associated with a higher rate of reoperations and the composite endpoint of recurrent MR or reoperation.
Objectives. Lung transplantation remains the only available treatment option for many end-stage lung diseases. We evaluated our long-term lung transplantation results and the impact of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Design. Adult de novo lung transplants (2003-2015, n=175) in a nationwide single transplant center were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the effect of CLAD. Results. Recipient and graft 1-, 5- and 10-year survival estimates were 94%, 79% and 64%, and 93%, 75% and 59%, respectively. CLAD affected 43% of patients at a median of 2.3 years after transplantation, and impaired recipient (p = .03) and graft survival (p = .001) with the most advanced CLAD stage, and restrictive CLAD phenotype, resulting in worst graft survival. CLAD was the primary cause of death in 54% of all patients, and in 80% of patients with an established CLAD diagnosis. CLAD, high-risk cytomegalovirus serostatus, and recipient preoperative sensitization increased graft loss hazard ratio. CLAD was the only significant investigated risk factor for graft loss in multivariate regression analysis. Conclusions. Although very favourable lung transplant patient long-term survival was achieved, CLAD significantly impaired recipient and graft survival. Identification of risk factors and therapeutic options for CLAD may further improve lung transplantation results.
