Lauritzenhanna8422
In patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity are important comorbidities as well as major risk factors. Their conjoint impact on the myocardium provides insight into the HFpEF aetiology. We sought to investigate the association between obesity, DM, and their combined effect on alterations in the myocardial tissue in HFpEF patients. One hundred and sixty-two HFpEF patients (55 ± 12 years, 95 men) and 45 healthy subjects (53 ± 12 years, 27 men) were included. Patients were classified according to comorbidity prevalence (36 obese patients without DM, 53 diabetic patients without obesity, and 73 patients with both). Myocardial remodeling, fibrosis, and longitudinal contractility were quantified with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging using cine and myocardial native T1 images. Patients with DM and obesity had impaired global longitudinal strain (GLS) and increased myocardial native T1 compared to patients with only one comorbidity (DM + Obesity vs. DM and Obesity; GLS, - 15 ± 2.1 vs - 16.5 ± 2.4 and - 16.7 ± 2.2%; native T1, 1162 ± 37 vs 1129 ± 25 and 1069 ± 29 ms; P less then 0.0001 for all). A negative synergistic effect of combined obesity and DM prevalence was observed for native T1 (np2 = 0.273, p = 0.002) and GLS (np2 = 0.288, p less then 0.0001). Additionally, severity of insulin resistance was associated with GLS (R = 0.590, P less then 0.0001), and native T1 (R = 0.349, P less then 0.0001). The conjoint effect of obesity and DM in HFpEF patients is associated with diffuse myocardial fibrosis and deterioration in GLS. The negative synergistic effects observed on the myocardium may be related to severity of insulin resistance.Background Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) has been reported to be a life-threating disease. Gastric conduit necrosis is known as a critical postoperative complication after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. We encountered a rare case of NOMI of a wide area of the intestine accompanied by gastric conduit necrosis after esophagectomy, which was successfully treated with an emergency operation. Case presentation A 67-year-old man presented with dysphagia. He was diagnosed with middle thoracic advanced esophageal cancer. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, he underwent subtotal esophagectomy with lymphadenectomy and gastric conduit reconstruction. On postoperative day (POD) 2, he had diarrhea, high fever, and low blood pressure, which were treated with catecholamines. Laboratory data revealed acidosis and severe sepsis with multi-organ failure, including the kidneys. Although enhanced computed tomography did not exhibit definite findings of bowel ischemia, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed necrotic mucosal changes in the whole gastric conduit. Therefore, we made a diagnosis of septic shock caused by gastric conduit necrosis and performed an emergency operation. When we explored the abdominal cavity, we found not only gastric conduit necrosis but also intermittent necrotic changes in the intestinal wall from the jejunum to the rectum. Therefore, NOMI was diagnosed. We performed an excision of the gastric conduit and 2 m of the small intestine, as well as total colectomy. After the second operation, prostaglandin E1 was administered intravenously as the treatment for NOMI, and sepsis was improved. On POD 122, he was self-discharged. He died of recurrence of lung metastasis from the esophageal cancer 9 months after the first operation. Conclusion When a patient has a critical status, including severe sepsis or severe acidosis, after esophagectomy, we should consider the possibility of NOMI in addition to gastric conduit necrosis and aim to diagnose and treat it immediately with an urgent operation.Purpose Cardiac perforation (CP) is an uncommon but clinically important complication of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). We previously showed that contact-force recovery after a steam pop predicts the absence of CP in an open-chest animal model after pericardial dissection. We attempted to determine whether this also applies when pericardium is present. Methods In 5 open-chest sheep, left atrial RFA was performed under direct observation with a 7.5F ThermoCool SmartTouch force-sensing catheter (Biosense Webster Inc., Irvine, CA, USA). The catheter's contact force was measured every 50 ms during RFA. After each steam pop, the presence (+) or absence (-) of CP was noted, as well as whether pericardium was present over the ablation site. Contact-force signals were analyzed to detect contact-force recovery. Perforation rates were compared between sites with or without pericardium. Results Ninety-six steam pops occurred 77 with pericardium and 19 without. For the pericardial steam pops, contact-force recovery occurred in 31/60 CP- events (52%) and 1/17 CP+ events (6%; P = 0.0006). For nonpericardial steam pops, contact-force recovery occurred in 4/9 CP- events (44%) and 1/10 CP+ events (P = 0.14). The rate of CP was 22% with pericardium and 52% without (P = 0.02). Pericardial tissue charred extensively during steam pop induction, even in the absence of CP. Conclusions Contact-force recovery predicts the absence of CP during RFA independently of whether the pericardium is present. The presence of the pericardium may decrease the likelihood of perforation, perhaps by acting as a thermal sink. Additional studies are needed to correlate these results with clinical experience.Purpose Cardiac conduction disturbance necessitating pacemaker implantation is common among elderly patients. However, patients often have comorbidities and increased frailty which may result in limited life prognosis and a high rate of procedure-related complications. We evaluated pacemaker implantation in older patients by comparing life prognosis and complication rate in patients aged ≥ and less then 85 years. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 262 consecutive patients who underwent initial pacemaker implantation for bradycardia (age, 77 ± 10 years old; male, 132 (50%); dual chamber pacemaker, 222 (85%) patients). Acute and long-term outcomes were compared between patients aged ≥ 85 and less then 85 years. compound library chemical Primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death and severe procedure-related complications. Results Seven (14%) patients aged ≥ 85 years (n = 50; 19%) were non-ambulatory. During 2-year follow-up, primary outcome (death or severe complication) occurred in 47 (18%). Freedom from primary outcome was similar between age groups (81.