Circulation
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Meta Analysis
Benefits and risks of corticosteroid prophylaxis in adult cardiac surgery: a dose-response meta-analysis.
Cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac surgery are associated with a significant systemic inflammatory response that may increase postoperative complications. This meta-analysis assessed whether the benefits and risks of corticosteroid use were dose dependent in adult cardiac surgery. ⋯ Evidence suggests that low-dose corticosteroid is as effective as high-dose corticosteroid in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation and duration of mechanical ventilation but with fewer potential side effects in adult cardiac surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Prognostic value of changes in the electrocardiographic strain pattern during antihypertensive treatment: the Losartan Intervention for End-Point Reduction in Hypertension Study (LIFE).
The presence of the ECG strain pattern of lateral ST depression and T-wave inversion at baseline has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, the independent predictive value for cardiovascular outcomes of regression versus persistence versus development of new ECG strain during antihypertensive therapy is unclear. ⋯ Development of new ECG strain is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and of all-cause mortality in the setting of antihypertensive therapy and regression of ECG left ventricular hypertrophy.
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Cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion imaging during the first pass after intravenous administration of extracellular contrast agents is hampered by the spatial and temporal resolution achievable and by the artifacts seen in ultrafast MR imaging. Furthermore, time-consuming quantitative data analysis is often added. The use of molecular MR imaging with a target-specific contrast agent with perfusion-dependent binding to myocardium may enable prolonged visualization of perfusion defects and thus may help to overcome limitations of currently used first-pass extracellular MR imaging. EP-3600 is a new gadolinium-containing molecular contrast agent that binds reversibly to myocardial collagen. ⋯ EP-3600 is a new molecular MR imaging contrast agent that binds to the myocardium and enables prolonged, high-contrast, high-spatial-resolution visualization of myocardial perfusion defects.