Objective To elucidate the application scope and delineate the criteria of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in assessing surgical risk associated with valvular heart diseases in patients presenting with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods This retrospective analysis encompasses data from patients undergoing DSE prior to valvular heart surgery at the Valvular Surgery Center of Beijing Anzhen Hospital between May 2016 and September 2024. Patients were stratified based on the terminal dose of dobutamine into two cohorts: a limited dose group (receiving a maximum dobutamine dose of <5 µg/kg/min due to concomitant conditions such as suspected atrial thrombus, aortic dilation, or previous myocardial infarction) and a non-limited dose group (where dosage was adjusted to either achieve the maximum positive standard or the maximal dose tolerable by the patient). Within the non-limited dose group, patients were further classified into positive and negative response groups. The positive response post DSE was defined based on the following criteria: LVEF≥55% (the maximum positive standard), LVEF<55% but with a 5% improvement (the minimum positive standard) from resting situation, aortic maximum velocity (AVmax)≥400 cm/s, or mean pressure gradient (meanPG)≥40 mm Hg, latter two applicable only to patients with aortic stenosis. Clinical indicators were compared in the three groups. Results A total of 99 patients were enrolled, aged 35 to 87 years, with an average age of (61.7±10.1) years. The number of males was significantly higher than that of females (3:1). 61 (61.6%) undergoing aortic valve surgery, 25 (25.3%) undergoing mitral valve surgery, and 13 (13.1%) undergoing combined aortic and mitral valve surgery. Nineteen (19.2%) patients experienced adverse symptoms such as palpitations, head and face numbness, dizziness, chest tightness post DSE. Additionally, new onset or aggravated ventricular premature was in 40 patients (40.4%). All above symptoms and signs resolved minutes after cessation of the test. No severe adverse events necessitating oxygen therapy or emergency intervention occurred. Among the 93 patients in the non-limited dose group, 86 were classified in the positive response group and 7 in the negative response group. The left ventricular end diastolic diameter, left ventricular end systolic diameter, and LVEFin the positive group were better than those before operation, and had significant differences with the negative group (P<0.05). All seven patients with negative DSE results underwent interventional surgery, which was significant different with the positive group (36 patients, 41.9%). In the limited dose group (n=6), four patients underwent routine thoracotomy surgery with positive DSE results or showing improvement, 2 received interventional treatment due to a negative response. No significant differences in mortality were observed among the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Dobutamine stress echocardiography significantly contributes to risk stratification in surgical interventions for patients with valvular heart disease complicated by reduced LVEF. It aids in determining optimal timing and methods for surgery. With comprehensive patient evaluation and controlled dobutamine dosing, the application of DSE can be safely expanded.
ObjectiveTo explore the difference of myocardial injury between off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) and modified perfusion on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (ONCAB).MethodsA total of 558 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from 2017 to 2019 were included. According to whether or not they received modified perfusion cardiopulmonary bypass, all the 558 patients were divided into two groups including an OPCAB group (OP group) and an ONCAB group (ON group). There were 465 patients in the OP group including 282 males and 183 females with an average age of 63.58±7.87 years. In the ON group, there were 93 patients including 64 males and 29 females with an average age of 63.91±7.51 years. Creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and cardiac specific troponin I (cTnI) were measured 24 hours before operation, 30 minutes after operation, 12 hours after operation, 36 hours after operation and 48 hours after operation.ResultsNo perioperative death occurred in all patients. CK-MB (5.00 ng/mL vs. 8.60 ng/mL, Z=–2.189, P=0.029) and cTnI (3.00 ng/mL vs. 7.80 ng/mL, Z=–5.307, P=0.000) in postoperative 12 hours in the ON group were less than those in the OP group. CK-MB (5.00 ng/mL vs. 5.60 ng/mL, Z=–2.280, P=0.023) and cTnI (0.10 ng/mL vs. 1.02 ng/mL, Z=–6.418, P=0.000) in postoperative 36 hours in the ON group were less than those in the OP group. cTnI (0.07 ng/mL vs. 0.81 ng/mL, Z=–1.946, P=0.032) in postoperative 48 hours in the ON group was less than that in the OP group.ConclusionCompared with OPCAB, modified perfusion ONCAB has less myocardial damage.
ObjectiveTo explore the effect of whether or not to stop beating after conversion to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.MethodsFrom 2016 to 2018, 177 patients with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in Beijing Anzhen Hospital were transferred to CPB. According to whether they stopped beating after conversion to CPB during the operation, they were divided into two groups. A non-stop beating group: there were 76 patients with 45 males, 31 females. aged 63.53±6.98 years, who were not to stop beating after conversion to CPB. A stop beating group: there were 101 patients with 66 males and 35 females, aged 63.98 ± 8.37 years, who were to stop beating and underwent the modified perfusion and application of papaverine in perfusion after conversion to CPB. The clinical effect of the two groups was compared.ResultsThere were 14 deaths in the perioperative period. The mean graft flow (MGF) in the stop beating group was higher (P=0.033), and the pulse index (PI) was lower (P=0.001) than those in the non-stop beating group. Intra-aortic balloon counter pulsation (P=0.036), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P=0.038), continuous renal replacement therapy (P=0.014), ventilator-assisted time (P=0.021), ICU monitoring time (P=0.012), perioperative mortality (P=0.025) and the ejcetion fraction value (P=0.023) were significantly different between the groups.ConclusionCompared with not to stop beating, those to stop beating can get better perioperative clinical effect after conversion to CPB, which is worthy of recommendation.
Objective To compare long-term outcomes following mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) and mitral valve replacement (MVR) for native valve endocarditis (NVE). Methods Between November 1993 and August 2016, consecutive 101 patients with NVE underwent mitral surgery in our department, MVP for 52 patients and MVR for 49 patients. There were 69 males and 32 females at age of 38.1±14.9 years. The mean follow-up was 99.4±75.8 months. Results There was no statistical difference in cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, in-hospital mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay or hospital stay after surgery between the two groups. Survival rate at 1, 5, 10, 20 years after surgery was 100.0%, 97.6%, 97.6%, 97.6% for MVP, and 93.5%, 84.3%, 84.3%, 66.2% for MVR with a statistical difference between the two groups (P=0.018). There was no stroke in the patients with MVP during follow-up periods. However, stroke-free survival rate at 1, 5, 10, 20 years after surgery was 100.0%, 93.9%, 89.4%, 70.2% for MVR patients with a statistical difference between the two groups (P=0.023). There was no statistical difference in recurrence of infection, perivalvular leakage and reoperation between the two groups. Composite endpoint-free survival rate at 1, 5, 10, 20 years after surgery was 100.0%, 97.6%, 92.9%, 92.9% for MVP, and 91.3%, 79.6%, 75.8%, 51.0% for MVR with a statistical difference (P=0.006). Conclusion MVP is associated with better outcomes than MVR in the patients with NVE; generalizing MVP technique in the patients with NVE is needed.
ObjectiveTo explore coronary angiographic characteristics in patients with symptomatic recurrence after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of 997 patients with symptomatic recurrence after CABG in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from 2010 to 2020. There were 762 males and 235 females, with an average age of 62.41±8.70 years.ResultsThere was a high prevalence of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes and a history of smoking. Diseased arterial grafts accounted for 27.44% while saphenous vein graft 54.40%; 240 (24.07%) patients had all patent grafts. The main lesion characteristics of diseased grafts were chronic total occlusion lesions (79.57%). Most patients had more diseased native vessels after CABG than before. The type C coronary artery disease in native vessels relevant to ischemic area occurred in 674 (67.60%) patients; 525 (52.66%) patients with recurrent symptom after CABG had both diseased grafts and diseased native vessels. Conclusion Graft status in patients with symptomatic recurrence after CABG is worse than we expected. The majority have newly developed lesions both in grafts and native vessels. Native vascular lesions will continue to progress after CABG.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical efficacy of valve surgeries for infective endocarditis and the affecting factors, and compare the early- and long-term postoperative outcomes of different surgery approaches. MethodsThe patients with infective endocarditis who underwent valve replacement/valvuloplasty in our hospital from 2010 to 2022 were retrospectively collected. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed. ResultsA total of 343 patients were enrolled, including 197 patients with mechanical valve replacement, 62 patients with bioprosthetic valve replacement, and 84 patients with valvuloplasty. There were 238 males and 105 females with an average age of (44.2±14.8) years. Single-valve endocarditis was present in 200 (58.3%) patients, and multivalve involvement was present in 143 (41.7%) patients. Sixty (17.5%) patients had suffered thrombosis before surgery, including cerebral embolisms in 32 patients. The mean follow-up time was (60.6±43.8) months. Early mortality within one month after the surgery occurred in 17 (5.0%) patients, while later mortality occurred in 19 (5.5%) patients. Eight (2.3%) patients underwent postoperative dialysis, 13 (3.8%) patients suffered postoperative stroke, 6 patients underwent reoperation, and 3 patients suffered recurrence of infective endocarditis. Smoking (P=0.002), preoperative embolisms (P=0.001), duration of surgery (P=0.001), and postoperative dialysis (P=0.001) were risk factors for early mortality, and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥60% (P=0.022) was protective factor for early mortality. New York Heart Association classification Ⅲ-Ⅳ (P=0.010) and ≥3 valve procedures (P=0.028) were risk factors for late mortality. The rate of composite endpoint events was significantly lower in the valvuloplasty group than that in the valve replacement group. ConclusionFor patients with infective endocarditis, smoking and preoperative embolisms are associated with high postoperative mortality, multiple-valve surgery is associated with a poorer prognosis, and valvuloplasty has advantages over valve replacement and should be attempted in the surgical management of patients with infective endocarditis.