Parameters predicting COVID-19-induced myocardial injury and mortality

Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 affect many organs, including the heart. Cardiovascular disease is a dominant comorbidity and prognostic factors predicting risk for critical courses are highly needed. Moreover, immunomechanisms underlying COVID-induced myocardial damage are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate prognostic markers to identify patients at risk.

RESULTS

Only patients with pericardial effusion (PE) developed a severe disease course, and those who died could be identified by a high CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio. Ten out of 19 COVID-19 patients presented with PE, 7 (78%) of these had elevated APACHE-II mortality risk-score, requiring mechanical ventilation. At admission, PE patients showed signs of systemic and cardiac inflammation in NMR and impaired cardiac function as detected by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), whereas parameters of myocardial injury e.g. high sensitive troponin-t (hs-TnT) were not yet increased. During the course of disease, hs-TnT rose in 8 of the PE-patients above 16 ng/l, 7 had to undergo ventilatory therapy and 4 of them died. FACS at admission showed in PE patients elevated frequencies of CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells among all CD3+ T-cells, and lower frequencies of Tregs and CD14⁺HLA^-DR⁺-monocytes. A high CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio predicted a severe disease course in PE patients, and was associated with high serum levels of antiviral cytokines. By contrast, patients without PE and PE patients with a low CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio neither had to be intubated, nor died.

CONCLUSIONS

PE predicts cardiac injury in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, TTE should be performed at admission. Immunological parameters for dysfunctional antiviral immunity, such as the CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio used here, supports risk assessment by predicting poor prognosis.

Lanadelumab demonstrates rapid and sustained prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks

Background

Lanadelumab demonstrated efficacy in preventing hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in the phase 3 HELP Study.

Objective

To assess time to onset of effect and long‐term efficacy of lanadelumab, based on exploratory findings from the HELP Study.

Methods

Eligible patients with HAE type I/II received lanadelumab 150 mg every 4 weeks (q4wks), 300 mg q4wks, 300 mg q2wks, or placebo. Ad hoc analyses evaluated day 0‐69 findings using a Poisson regression model accounting for overdispersion. Least‐squares mean monthly HAE attack rate for lanadelumab was compared with placebo. Intrapatient comparisons for days 0‐69 versus steady state (days 70‐182) used a paired t test for continuous endpoints or Kappa statistics for categorical endpoints.

Results

One hundred twenty‐five patients were randomized and treated. During days 0‐69, mean monthly attack rate was significantly lower with lanadelumab (0.41‐0.76) vs placebo (2.04), including attacks requiring acute treatment (0.33‐0.61 vs 1.66) and moderate/severe attacks (0.31‐0.48 vs 1.33, all P ≤ .001). More patients receiving lanadelumab vs placebo were attack free (37.9%‐48.1% vs 7.3%) and responders (85.7%‐100% vs 26.8%). During steady state, the efficacy of lanadelumab vs placebo was similar or improved vs days 0‐69. Intrapatient differences were significant with lanadelumab 300 mg q4wks for select outcomes. Lanadelumab efficacy was durable—HAE attack rate was consistently lower vs placebo, from the first 2 weeks of treatment through study end. Treatment emergent adverse events were comparable during days 0‐69 and 70‐182.

Conclusion

Protection with lanadelumab started from the first dose and continued throughout the entire study period.

Toll-like-receptor-3 function is critical for aortic valve stenosis development in mice

Background

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the most common valve diseases in the western world. After having been considered a passive degenerative process, which develops as an inevitable consequence of age-related valvular degeneration, basic research of the last two decades has led to a paradigm shift. It is now believed that AS pathophysiology is driven by distinct molecular and cellular mechanisms which include inflammatory pathways. In recent years, Toll-like-receptor-3 (TLR3) has emerged as a major regulator of vascular inflammation. TLR3 is a lysosomal pattern recognition receptor that recognizes single and double stranded RNA. Its activation leads to expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines via NFkb activation. The role of TLR3 in the development of AS has never been investigated.

Methods

Severe AS was induced in Wildtype-, ApoE- and TLR3/ApoE−/− mice. For this, a coronary springwire was used to induce an endothelial injury under echocardiographic guidance. Stenosis development was confirmed via ultrasound examinations. To inhibit TLR-3 activation, TLR3/RNA- Complex inhibitor C4a was injected every 48h after wire injury in WT mice. Valves were explanted and stained with hematoxylin/eosin (valve thickening) or anti-68 (macrophage infiltration). Valves from patients who received aortic valve replacement due to AS or aortic regurgitation (AR) were collected and mRNA levels of TLR3 and MyD88 were measured with use of quantitative-PCR.

Results

To evaluate weather TLR3 effects AS development in mice, we subjected TLR3/ApoE double- and ApoE knockout mice to our model of wire-induced AS. Surprisingly, TLR3 deficient mice failed to develop AS after wire injury. Peak velocity measurements showed no increase and histological analysis showed lower aortic valve area and macrophage infiltration compared to control mice. In order to pharmacological inhibit TLR3, WT mice were treated with C4a after wire injury. Compared to PBS control, C4a mice also did not develop AS upon wire injury. Trans-aortic valve peak velocity levels were significantly lower in C4a mice. Histological analysis underlined these results and showed thinner aortic valves and decreased macrophage infiltration in C4a mice comparted to control animals. To confirm our hypothesis, the expression of TLR3 and its downstream effector MyD88 were measured in human aortic valve specimens. qPCR analysis revealed decreased TLR3 and MyD88 expression in patients with AS compared to patients with AR.

Conclusion

In the presented study, we present first data that theTLR3 has a crucial role in the development of AS in mice. The exact downstream effects after TLR3 activation in AS need to be further investigated.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)

Parameters predicting COVID-19-induced myocardial injury and mortality

Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 affect many organs, including the heart. Cardiovascular disease is a dominant comorbidity and prognostic factors predicting risk for critical courses are highly needed. Moreover, immunomechanisms underlying COVID-induced myocardial damage are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate prognostic markers to identify patients at risk.

RESULTS

Only patients with pericardial effusion (PE) developed a severe disease course, and those who died could be identified by a high CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio. Ten out of 19 COVID-19 patients presented with PE, 7 (78%) of these had elevated APACHE-II mortality risk-score, requiring mechanical ventilation. At admission, PE patients showed signs of systemic and cardiac inflammation in NMR and impaired cardiac function as detected by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), whereas parameters of myocardial injury e.g. high sensitive troponin-t (hs-TnT) were not yet increased. During the course of disease, hs-TnT rose in 8 of the PE-patients above 16 ng/l, 7 had to undergo ventilatory therapy and 4 of them died. FACS at admission showed in PE patients elevated frequencies of CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells among all CD3+ T-cells, and lower frequencies of Tregs and CD14⁺HLA^-DR⁺-monocytes. A high CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio predicted a severe disease course in PE patients, and was associated with high serum levels of antiviral cytokines. By contrast, patients without PE and PE patients with a low CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio neither had to be intubated, nor died.

CONCLUSIONS

PE predicts cardiac injury in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, TTE should be performed at admission. Immunological parameters for dysfunctional antiviral immunity, such as the CD8/Treg/monocyte ratio used here, supports risk assessment by predicting poor prognosis.

P4715Association of heart failure duration with clinical prognosis after transcatheter mitral valve repair

Background/Introduction

Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) in patients with heart failure (HF) and severe mitral regurgitation (MR) entails better clinical and symptomatic status. While emerging evidence indicate that HF duration is linked to adverse outcomes in patients with HF, it is not known whether the HF duration before TMVR has an effect on adverse outcomes.

Purpose

We aimed to assess the association between duration of HF before TMVR and clinical prognosis after the procedure.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled a total of 345 patients who underwent TMVR procedure with MitraClip or Cardioband system for the treatment of symptomatic MR after guideline recommended therapy. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the duration of HF (>18 months:, n=161, ≤18 months: shorter HF group, n=184). Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to assess the association between duration and two-year composite endpoint (all-cause mortality, unexpected hospitalization due to HF, and repeat mitral valve therapy).

Results

Patients with longer duration of HF were more likely to be male, had greater incidence of coronary artery disease (77.0% vs. 51.6%, p<0.001), had received more frequently implantable cardioverter defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy (41.0% vs. 10.3%, p<0.001), and had more decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (41.1±14.5% vs. 49.3±16.0%, p<0.001) compared to patients with shorter duration of HF. Two-year event-free survival rate was significantly lower in patients with longer duration of HF (66.3% vs. 83.8%, Log-rank p=0.01) compared to whose with shorter duration of HF. Similar trends were observed for all-cause mortality (84.8% vs. 95.9%, p=0.06) and repeat mitral valve therapy (93.4% vs. 100%, p=0.02). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, longer duration of HF was independently associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes (Hazard ratio, 2.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–4.62; p=0.02) compared with shorter duration of HF.

Conclusion

Patients with the longer duration of HF before TMVR is independently associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes after the procedure. It is, however, accompanied by higher prevalence of cardiac co-morbidities in these patients. Our findings suggest that a longer duration of HF is a risk indicator and should be considered into in future clinical trials of TMVR.

P5987Novel model of intensity graded murine wire-induced aortic valve stenosis mimics distinct stages of human aortic valve pathology

Background

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the most common valve disease requiring therapeutic intervention. Even though the incidence of AS has been continuously rising and AS is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, to date, no medical treatments have been identified that can modify disease progression. In fact, only invasive interventional or surgical replacement of severely diseased valves is recommended. This unmet medical need is likely attributed to the lack of a clear understanding of the molecular mechanism driving disease development. To investigate the pathophysiology leading to AS, reliable and reproducible animal models that mimic human pathophysiology are needed.

Hypothesis

Induction of a graded wire-induced aortic valve stenosis model in mice is feasible to reflect and study pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the progression of aortic valve stenosis.

Methods

We have tested and expanded the protocols of a novel wire-injury induced aortic valve stenosis mouse model. A spring coronary guide wire or a bare metal wire was used to apply shear stress to the aortic valve cusps with increasing intensity with ultrasound-guided monitoring in male 10 to 12-week-old C57Bl/6j mice. These protocols allowed the induction of distinct models with soft, moderate and intense wire injury. Functional analysis including maximum flow velocity (Vmax), ejection fraction, fractional shortening, left ventricular volumes, diameters and wall thickness were assessed by echocardiography before, one and four weeks after induction of aortic valve stenosis. Immunohistological analysis were performed after eight weeks (hematoxylin and eosin, von-Kossa staining, anti-CD68-staining).

Results

Upon moderate or severe injury, AS developed with a significant increase in aortic valve peak blood flow velocity. While moderate injury promoted solitary AS, severe-injury induced mixed aortic valve disease with concomitant mild to moderate aortic regurgitation. Only 5% of the mice who received a moderate injury displayed a mild aortic regurgitation. In the group of mice with intense injury 50% of the mice had a mild and 18,75% had a moderate aortic insufficiency. The changes in aortic valve function were reflected by dilation and hypertrophy of the left ventricle, as well as a decreased left ventricular ejection fraction after intense injury, while moderate injury did not show significant dilation of the left ventricle. Histological analysis revealed the three classic hallmarks of human disease with aortic valve thickening, increased macrophage infiltration and calcification eight weeks after injury.

Conclusion

Hereby, we demonstrate that the induction of a graded wire induced aortic valve stenosis model in mice mimicking relevant pathophysiological mechanisms is feasible to study disease progression. We extended existing protocols to induce moderate stenosis allowing to solely study aortic valve stenosis without relevant aortic valve regurgitation.

Acknowledgement/Funding

S.N. was funded by Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Foundation of the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn

P4145Endothelial NLRP3-Inflammasome impairs vascular function via microparticles

Background

In recent years inflammation has emerged to the centre of attention of cardiovascular research. One of its key figures is the NLRP3-inflammasome a multimeric protein complex that stimulates inflammatory responses in atherogenesis through proinflammatory cytokines like caspases IL-1β and -18. It is activated by danger signals such as cholesterol crystals, oxidized LDL, ATP or uric acids. Microparticles (MP) are extracellular vesicles that are released by activated or apoptotic cells. They are known as a vector for the intercellular transfer of biological information. The body of evidence indicates that endothelial microparticles contribute to the development and complications in atherosclerosis. With this study we sought to elucidate the effects microparticles, that are discharged by inflammasome activated endothelial cells, exert on arterial vascular cells.

Methods and results

RTPCR experiments showed that activation of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) with LPS and Nigericin leads to NLRP3-inflammasome-specific upregulation of NLRP3 and IL1β. Analysis of the supernatant of aforementioned cells via westernblot revealed release of cleaved caspase-1 while donorcells undergo pyroptosis. FACS and electronmicroscopy experiments revealed time dependent release of endothelial microparticles (EMP) by inflammasome activated HCAEC, while western blot demonstrated that EMP enclose active caspase-1. Fluorescence microscopic imaging illustrated time dependent incorporation of EMP by HCAEC. Stimulation of HCAEC with EMP revealed detrimental biological effects on recipient cells as viability assay and scratch assay showed decreased viability and proliferation/ migration, cytotoxity assay showed increased cytotoxity and RT-PCR experiments showed increased expression of NALP3, IL-1b, VCAM and ICAM. The fact that treatment of recipient cells with the NLRP3-Inhibitor isoliquiritigenin (ILG), heat-inactivation of EMP and rupturing the EMP-membrane by freezing is able to diminish harmful effects EMP exert on recipient cells shown by viability assay, scratch assay and microscopic imaging underlines detrimental effects being exerted by EMP-encapsuled inflamasome-components.

Conclusion

Our findings verify that MP released from inflammasome-activated endothelial cells are incorporated by vascular cells which in turn sustain a reduction of cell viability, migration and proliferation. EMP effectuate activation of the NLRP3-inflammasme in their target cells. The cytotoxic effects of EMP are suppressed by inhibitors of the NLRP3-inflammasome and affection of EMP-membrane. Our results emphasize the immunological role of endothelial cells and indicate that inflammasome activation is transferable through microparticle-associated communication. This in turn facilitates cell death and possibly initiates a vicious cycle of inflammation suggesting a role in the advancement of atherosclerosis.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Else Kröner Scholarship

P5993Comprehensive characterization of experimental aortic valve stenosis by multiparametric MRI

Background

Recently, we established an experimental model of moderate aortic valve stenosis (AS) aiming to mimic human disease progression closely. Functional and structural MRI of a mouse model in experimental aortic valve stenosis has not been accomplished so far.

Purpose

Here, we aimed at developing comprehensive MRI approach for simultaneous assessment of changes in valvular, left ventricular and aortic morphology and function.

Methods

Male 12-week-old wildtype mice (C57Bl/6) were subjected to wire injury of the aortic valve to induce aortic valve stenosis. High resolution MRI at 9.4T was used to monitor subsequent functional and structural changes in the aortic valve, the ascending aorta, the left ventricle and aortic flow patterns.

Results

MRI permits accurate planimetry of the orifice and the thickness of the aortic valve, allows a reliable three-dimensional mapping of transvalvular aortic flow, simultaneously depicts aortic regurgitation in 3D fashion and permits assessment of left ventricular changes due to AS. In our model we observed a reduced valve orifice and an increase in valve thickness. Homogenous flow pattern under control converted to heterogenous and turbulent flow with progression of AS associated with increased aortic strain, aortic wall and left ventricular wall thickness.

Conclusions

In a murine model of aortic valve stenosis MRI is capable to reliably display a three-dimensional transvalvular aortic flow profile with concomitant quantification of structural and functional changes in aortic valve, left ventricle, and ascending aorta. This comprehensive functional imaging at high resolution and distinct reproducibility offers for the first time serial assessment of disease progression in an experimental model of aortic valve stenosis.

P973Intravascular lithotripsy for lesion preparation in calcified coronary lesions: a prospective, observational, two-center registry

Background

Intravascular coronary lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel alternative treatment for heavily calcified lesions. This study sought to determine the strategy success and safety of IVL on calcified lesions in an all-comers cohort of patients.

Methods

Patients with moderate and severely calcified coronary lesions were screened in two centers in Spain and Germany starting April 2018. Until February 2019, 61 patients with 67 lesions were eligible for IVL. Patients were assigned to the following groups: A) Primary IVL therapy for patients with circumferential calcified de-novo coronary lesions (n=32), B) Secondary IVL therapy for patients with moderate or severe calcified coronary lesions in which conventional non-compliant balloon dilatation failed (n=18) and C) Tertiary IVL therapy in patients with in-stent stenosis due to stent underexpansion after previous stenting (n=17). Primary endpoint was strategy success and safety outcome. Strategy success was defined as successful stent delivery and expansion with attainment of <20% in-stent residual stenosis of the target lesion. Safety outcome were procedural complication, defined as coronary dissection, slow or no-reflow phenomenon, new coronary thrombus formation during PCI, abrupt vessel closure and device failure (inability to place the balloon, malfunction, or burst) and in hospital MACE.

Results

61 patients with 67 calcified lesions were treated with IVL. Mean diameter of calcified stenosis on quantitative coronary angiography was 72.02±13.8% at baseline and decreased to 17.7±15.84% (p-value: <0.01) after IVL with an acute gain of 1.9±0.63 mm. Mean minimal lumen diameter was 1.0±0.5 mm at baseline and increased after IVL to 2.9±0.6 mm. The overall average of applied pulses was 63±22. The primary endpoint of strategy success was reached overall in 85.2% of patients. 4 type b dissections (3 in group A, 1 in group B) were observed without further sequelae. There were no in-hospital MACE. In one patient (1.6%) non-ischemia driven target lesion failure was observed in routine follow up coronary angiography and was in need for revascularization. According to the subgroups, strategy success in primary IVL treatment (group A) and secondary IVL treatment (group B) was reached in 81.3% and 83.3% of cases, respectively. In tertiary IVL therapy (group C), the primary study endpoint was reached in 64.7% of cases. Device delivery and IVL treatment of target lesion could be performed in all lesions without vessel complications. 7 IVL balloons ruptured during treatment without any sequelae. Rupture was observed in most cases after repositioning of the balloon within the calcified lesion.

Conclusions

IVL provides a valid strategy for lesion preparation in severely calcified coronary lesions, with high success rate, and low procedural complication and MACE rates. Longitudinal studies will confirm if these favourable initial results of IVL-supported PCI are followed by good long-term results.

P5988Non-classical Ly6C-low monocytes contribute to aortic valve stenosis development in mice

Introduction

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is one of the most common valvular diseases in the western world. Once patients with AS develop symptoms mortality increases up to 50% over two years. For many years AS was believed to be a passive degenerative process. Recent findings suggest a more complex pathomechanism with a strict molecular and cellular regulation involving local inflammation and invasion of immune cells. Specifically, pro-inflammatory macrophages have been shown to play an important role in disease progression. On the other hand, monocyte counts in the peripheral blood of patients with severe AS are significantly decreased and there is an inverse correlation between valve orifice area and circulating monocyte count. In order to elucidate the exact function of pro-inflammatory classical (Ly6C-high) and non-classical (Ly6C-low) monocytes in disease initiation processes, we conducted a series of experiments in a model of murine AS.

Methods

In this study 10–12 weeks old male C57BL6/J or CX3CR1-deficient mice were investigated. For AS induction, a coronary springwire was introduced into the left ventricle, pushed and rotated over the aortic valve under echocardiographic guidance. In sham operated mice the wire was only inserted into the left carotid artery without manipulation of the aortic valve. Development of AS was confirmed via weekly ultrasound examinations. Immune cells in the aortic valve were quantified using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy.

Results

Ultrasound analysis after two weeks confirmed the development of AS in the injured wildtype mice. Transaortic peak velocity levels were significantly increased compared to sham operated mice. Flow cytometry of explanted aortic valves showed a strong cellular immunoreaction in the stenotic valves. The amount of anti-inflammatory Ly6C-low monocytes was significantly increased compared to sham-mice, whereas the number of pro-inflammatory Ly6C-high monocytes remained stable. Interestingly CD-4 positive T-cells were augmented in stenotic aortic valves. Immunofluorescence confirmed Ly6C-low monocytes infiltration in the valve, in close proximity to the endothelial cells on the ventricular and the aortic side. The expression of recruitment and adhesion markers CD11b and CX3CR1 were significantly increased on the surface of the Ly6C-low monocytes of AS mice. To investigate the role of Ly6C-low monocytes in AS development, CX3CR1 deficient mice, which are not able to recruit non-classical monocytes via CX3CR1, were subjected to aortic valve wire injury. After two weeks, peak velocity levels in CX3CR1−/− mice remained nearly unchanged and were significantly decreased compared to wildtype mice.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that non-classical Ly6Clow monocytes play a crucial role in AS development in mice. Therefore, they may be targets for future therapeutic interventions.

Acknowledgement/Funding

S.T.N. was funded by Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Foundation of the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn

Measurement of the cosmic ray proton spectrum from 40 GeV to 100 TeV with the DAMPE satellite

The precise measurement of the spectrum of protons, the most abundant component of the cosmic radiation, is necessary to understand the source and acceleration of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. This work reports the measurement of the cosmic ray proton fluxes with kinetic energies from 40 GeV to 100 TeV, with 2 ¹/₂ years of data recorded by the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE). This is the first time that an experiment directly measures the cosmic ray protons up to ~100 TeV with high statistics. The measured spectrum confirms the spectral hardening at ~300 GeV found by previous experiments and reveals a softening at ~13.6 TeV, with the spectral index changing from ~2.60 to ~2.85. Our result suggests the existence of a new spectral feature of cosmic rays at energies lower than the so-called knee and sheds new light on the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.

Single-Cell Analysis Suggests that Ongoing Affinity Maturation Drives the Emergence of Pemphigus Vulgaris Autoimmune Disease

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease characterized by blistering sores on skin and mucosal membranes, caused by autoantibodies primarily targeting the cellular adhesion protein, desmoglein-3 (Dsg3). To better understand how Dsg3-specific autoantibodies develop and cause disease in humans, we performed a cross-sectional study of PV patients before and after treatment to track relevant cellular responses underlying disease pathogenesis, and we provide an in-depth analysis of two patients by generating a panel of mAbs from single Dsg3-specific memory B cells (MBCs). Additionally, we analyzed a paired sample from one patient collected 15-months prior to disease diagnosis. We find that Dsg3-specific MBCs have an activated phenotype and show signs of ongoing affinity maturation and clonal selection. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with pathogenic activity primarily target epitopes in the extracellular domains EC1 and EC2 of Dsg3, though they can also bind to the EC4 domain. Combining antibodies targeting different epitopes synergistically enhances in vitro pathogenicity.

Departmental Initiative to Improve Documentation in the Medical Record by Acute Care Pharmacists

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[Is routine histopathologic examination of middle ear cholesteatoma necessary?]

BACKGROUND

In the course of restoration of the middle ear, routine histological examinations are initiated in many cases, although a middle ear cholesteatoma can be clinically diagnosed in a normal case.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To determine the correlation between the surgeons' diagnosis and that of the pathologist and comparison with literature data. To check the rate of unexpected diagnoses. Analysis of the costs and survey of German ENT clinics with regard to handling of the histological examination in suspected cholesteatoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective evaluation of cholesteatoma cases of the ENT Department of the University Medical Center of Mainz from 2010-2015. Germany-wide postal survey of ENT clinics.

RESULTS

In all, 449 operations for the rehabilitation of a middle ear cholesteatoma, of which there were 312 (69.5%) first diagnoses and 137 (30.5%) recurrences. A histological examination was conducted in 78.6%. For first diagnoses, the sensitivity of the clinical assessment was 97.9%, specificity 10%, positive predictive value 96.3%, and negative predictive value 16.7%. Recurrences showed values of 100%, 40%, 97.1% and 100%. Unexpected malignant findings did not occur. This routine histological examination was performed by 58.6% of German ENT hospitals. A total of 80% of those questioned this to be useful. A histological examination cost an average of 14.06 €.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperatively, there is a high degree of accuracy in diagnosing cholesteatoma. The cost factor of the histological examination is low and should not be the basis for the decision. The ear microscopy and the experience of the ear surgeon should be decisive for the decision for histological examination.