Preoperative Tricuspid Regurgitation Is Associated With Long-Term Mortality and Is Graded More Severe Than Intraoperative Tricuspid Regurgitation

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether preoperative (preop) tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity grade was associated with postoperative mortality, to examine the correlation between pre-op and intraoperative (intraop) TR grades, and to understand which TR grade had better prognostic predictability in cardiac surgery patients.

DESIGN

Retrospective.

SETTING

Single institution.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients.

INTERVENTIONS

Preop and intraop echocardiography TR grades of 4,232 patients who had undergone cardiac surgeries between 2004 and 2014 were examined.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the association between TR grades and the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Spearman's rank correlation were analyzed to assess the similarity and correlation between preop and intraop-grade pairs. Multivariate logistic regression models of the area under the curve characteristics were compared for prognostic implications. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a strong relationship between preop grades and survival. Multivariate models showed significantly increased mortality starting at mild preop TR (mild TR: hazard ratio [HR] 1.24; 95% CI 1.05-1.46, p = 0.013; moderate TR: HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.05-1.97, p < 0.001; severe TR: HR 2.50; 95% CI 1.74-3.58, p < 0.001). Preop TR grades were mostly higher than intraop grades. Spearman's correlation was 0.55 (p < 0.001). The area under the curves of preop and intraop TR-based models were almost identical (0.704 v 0.702 1-year mortality and 0.704 v 0.700 2-year mortality).

CONCLUSIONS

The authors found that echocardiographically-determined preop TR grade at the time of surgical planning was associated with long-term mortality, starting even at a mild grade. Preop grades were higher than intraop grades, with a moderate correlation. Preop and intraop grades exhibited similar prognostic implications.

Tranexamic Acid Use in Pediatric Craniotomies at a Large Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital: A Five Year Retrospective Study

Tranexamic acid (TXA), a synthetic antifibrinolytic drug, has proven efficacy and is recommended for major pediatric surgery to decrease perioperative blood loss. Accumulating evidence suggests that TXA reduces bleeding and transfusion in a variety of adult neurosurgical settings. However, there is a paucity of research regarding TXA indications for pediatric neurosurgery and thus, there are currently no recommendations for its use with this specific population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the existing practice of TXA administration for pediatric neurosurgery at a U.S. tertiary care pediatric hospital over a five-year period. The authors conclude that TXA administration is feasible and should be considered for pediatric neurosurgical cases where potential blood loss is a concern.

The effect of sugars on the temperature dependence of the critical micelle concentrations of cationic surfactants

The temperature dependence of the critical micelle concentrations (cmc) of decyl, dodecyl and tetradecyl trimethylammonium and dodecyl benzyl dimethylammonium bromides in the presence of glucose or sucrose is reported. Thermodynamic parameters have been calculated using the uncharged phase-change model. An interpretation of the changes in cmc values, relative to those in simple aqueous solutions, is offered in terms of the resultant of two effects, namely modifications in water-structure and reduction of dielectric constant.