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OBJECTIVES: The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) predicts in-hospital mortality for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Many variables associated with increased surgical mortality persist postoperatively. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of the logistic EuroSCORE to long-term survival after coronary artery bypass surgery. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively for all patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) at a single center between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. Data submitted to NICOR were used for EuroSCORE and in-hospital outcomes; longer-term, all-cause mortality from NHS digital Personal Demographic Service. Low (<3), intermediate (3-6), and high-risk (>6) logistic EuroSCORE groups were identified and analyzed using the appropriate statistical methodology, with p values less than .05 being taken as significant. RESULTS: Six hundred and sixty-three patients underwent isolated CABG procedures during the study. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 97.6%, 94.3%, 89.3%, and 73.5%, respectively. Comparing survival outcomes between low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups showed that the logistic EuroSCORE was able to predict long-term outcomes (p < .05). In addition, poor left ventricular ejection fraction, serum creatinine above 200 ml, chronic pulmonary disease, extracardiac arteriopathy, and pulmonary hypertension were identified as independent predictors of long-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the logistic EuroSCORE predicted long-term outcomes following CABG surgery. This finding can inform patients of the long-term risks of CABG surgery and guide MDT decision-making.

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Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), previously known as Propionibacterium acnes, is a rare cause of infective endocarditis (IE). We provide a review of the literature and describe two recent cases from a single centre to provide insight into the various clinical presentations, progression and management of patients with this infection. The primary objective of our review is to highlight the difficulty in the initial assessment of these patients with an aim to improve the time and accuracy of diagnosis and expedite subsequent treatment. There are currently no guidelines in the literature specific to the management of IE caused by C. acnes. Our secondary objectives are to disseminate information about the indolent course of the disease and add to the growing body of evidence around this rare, yet complex, cause of IE.

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BACKGROUND: Early treatment of aortic valve stenosis is recommended in eligible symptomatic patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who would otherwise have a poor prognosis. The sutureless aortic valve bioprosthesis offers an alternative to standard aortic valve replacement with a sutured valve, but limited data are available in patients who have undergone multiple valve procedures involving the new, sutureless technology. We sought to investigate outcomes in high operative risk patients with previous or concomitant valve surgery who were implanted with a sutureless valve. METHODS: SURE-AVR is an ongoing, prospective, multinational registry of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. In-hospital and post-discharge outcomes up to 5 years were collected. RESULTS: The study population comprised 78 patients (mean ± SD: age 73.6 ± 7.6 years, logistic EuroSCORE 18.0 ± 17.5) enrolled at 13 sites who presented for concomitant or previous mitral valve repair (n = 45) or replacement (n = 33), with or without additional concomitant procedures, and were implanted with a sutureless valve. Mean ± SD overall aortic cross-clamp time was 109 ± 41 min and cardiopulmonary bypass time was 152 ± 49 min. Mean ± SD aortic pressure gradients decreased from 37.6 ± 17.7 mmHg preoperatively to 13.0 ± 5.7 mmHg at hospital discharge, and peak aortic pressure gradient from 61.5 ± 28.7 to 23.4 ± 10.6 mmHg. Early events included 1 death, 1 transient ischaemic attack, and 1 bleed (all 1.3%); a permanent pacemaker implantation was required in 6 patients (7.7%), and 2 reoperations (not valve related) (2.6%) took place. Over a median follow-up of 55.5 months (Q1 13.4, Q3 68.6), 12 patients died (6 cardiovascular and 6 non-cardiovascular, both 2.1% per patient-year). Five-year survival was 81.3%. Late paravalvular leak occurred in 2 patients (0.7% per patient-year) and permanent pacemaker implantation was required in 3 patients (0.1% per patient-year). There was no apparent rise in mean or peak aortic pressure gradient over the study. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the sutureless implant is a technically feasible procedure during mitral surgery and is associated with good clinical outcomes.

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INTRODUCTION: Numbers of patients undergoing mitral valve repair (MVr) surgery for severe mitral regurgitation have grown and will continue to rise. MVr is routinely performed via median sternotomy; however, there is a move towards less invasive surgical approaches.There is debate within the clinical and National Health Service (NHS) commissioning community about widespread adoption of minimally invasive MVr surgery in the absence of robust research evidence; implementation requires investment in staff and infrastructure.The UK Mini Mitral trial will provide definitive evidence comparing patient, NHS and clinical outcomes in adult patients undergoing MVr surgery. It will establish the best surgical approach for MVr, setting a standard against which emerging percutaneous techniques can be measured. Findings will inform optimisation of cost-effective practice. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: UK Mini Mitral is a multicentre, expertise based randomised controlled trial of minimally invasive thoracoscopically guided right minithoracotomy versus conventional sternotomy for MVr. The trial is taking place in NHS cardiothoracic centres in the UK with established minimally invasive mitral valve surgery programmes. In each centre, consenting and eligible patients are randomised to receive surgery performed by consultant surgeons who meet protocol-defined surgical expertise criteria. Patients are followed for 1 year, and consent to longer term follow-up.Primary outcome is physical functioning 12 weeks following surgery, measured by change in Short Form Health Survey (SF-36v2) physical functioning scale. Early and 1 year echo data will be reported by a core laboratory. Estimates of key clinical and health economic outcomes will be reported up to 5 years.The primary economic outcome is cost effectiveness, measured as incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year gained over 52 weeks following index surgery. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: A favourable opinion was given by Wales REC 6 (16/WA/0156). Trial findings will be disseminated to patients, clinicians, commissioning groups and through peer reviewed publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13930454.

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Patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes are at potentially higher risk of infection and fatality due to COVID-19. Given the social and economic costs associated with disability due to these conditions, it is imperative that specific considerations for clinical management of these patients be observed. Moreover, the reorganization of health services around the pandemic response further exacerbates the growing crisis around limited access, treatment compliance, acute medical needs, and mental health of patients in this specific subgroup. Existing recommendations and guidelines emanating from respective bodies have addressed some of the pressure points; however, there are variations and limitations vis a vis patient with multiple comorbidities such as obesity. This article will pull together a comprehensive assessment of the association of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and COVID-19, its impact on the health systems and how best health systems can respond to mitigate current challenges and future needs. We anticipate that in the context of this pandemic, the cardiovascular disease and diabetes patients need a targeted strategy to ensure the harm to this group does not translate to huge costs to society and to the economy. Finally, we propose a triage and management protocol for patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the COVID-19 settings to minimize harm to patients, health systems and healthcare workers alike.

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The management of acute neurological conditions, particularly acute ischemic stroke, in the context of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is of importance, considering the risk of infection to the healthcare workers and patients and emerging evidence of the neuroinvasive potential of the virus. There are variations in expert guidelines further complicating the picture for clinicians in acute settings. In this light, there is a compelling need for further formulation of recommendations that compile these variations seen in the numerous guidelines present. Health system protocols for managing ongoing acute neurological care and intervention need consideration of safety and well-being of the frontline healthcare workers and the patients. We examine existing pathways and their efficacy to mitigate viral exposure to the healthcare workers and patients and synthesize a systemic approach to manage patients with acute neurological conditions in the COVID-19 scenario. Early experiences with a COVID-19 positive stroke patient treated with endovascular thrombectomy is presented to highlight the urgent need for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) during acute neuro-interventional procedures.

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Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) deficiency (or the common opsonic defect) has been reported as a risk factor for several immunologically controlled conditions, including infection and graft rejection. However, the effects of MBL deficiency on acute rejection after heart transplantation are unknown. Ninety heart transplant recipients were included in this study. Plasma MBL quantification was performed using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Acute rejection was diagnosed via endomyocardial biopsy and histologic assessment. MBL concentration was controlled for demographics, immunosuppression and anti-viral therapy. Individuals with dysfunctional MBL had significantly fewer rejection episodes (6.3 +/- 3.8%) than those with functional MBL (12.9 +/- 11.6%) (p = 0.016). We found no significant difference between MBL concentrations among those with (1,232 +/- 58 ng/ml) and those without (1,216 +/- 161 ng/ml) GCAD (p = 0.841). There was also no significant difference between the incidence of GCAD in those with "normal" concentrations (p = 0.782). Heart transplant recipients with MBL deficiency had fewer acute graft rejection episodes compared to patients with functional MBL. This suggests the lectin pathway of complement activation is an important process in graft rejection. Furthermore, functional MBL may indicate a greater likelihood of rejection.

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BACKGROUND: Natural killer (NK) cells have the capacity to recognize and respond to alloantigen, yet their role in lung transplant rejection is not well defined. The aim of this study was to correlate NK cell numbers and immunophenotype in peripheral blood and tissue with graft function after lung transplantation. METHODS: NK cell subsets were immunophenotyped in peripheral blood (n = 41). Lung tissue was stained for NK cells via CD16 and morphologic assessment (n = 30). RESULTS: Peripheral blood NK cells were activated in patients with chronic rejection, but the overall number of cells was lower in these patients when compared with stable patients. Furthermore, there was significantly more CD16(+) NK cells in the lung compartment of patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome compared with stable patients (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic rejection, peripheral blood NK cells are activated but their numbers decrease, while the number of NK cells in the lungs increases. This suggests NK cells systemically activate and migrate to the lung during the progression of chronic rejection after lung transplantation.

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BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a significant complication after thoracic organ transplantation. In the non-transplant population, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (24ABPM) is useful in the diagnosis of white-coat hypertension, the assessment of resistant hypertension, and the monitoring of anti-hypertensive therapy. The loss of nocturnal reductions in blood pressure is associated with hypertensive end-organ damage. This study investigated the role of 24ABPM after orthotopic cardiac transplantation. METHODS: Thirty-three transplant recipients underwent 24ABPM. Clinical blood pressure (CPB) was measured by using a sphygmomanometer before 24ABPM. Clinical data were collected and analyzed by a single observer with p values of less than 0.05 being taken as significant. RESULTS: The incidence of hypertension (diastolic pressure > 90 mm Hg) in the CPB and 24ABPM groups was 33% and 52% (p =0.002). Thirty-two percent of recipients who were normotensive by clinical measurement were found to be hypertensive after 24ABPM. The converse was true in 1 case. We identified no specific risk factors for 24ABPM hypertension. One recipient failed to complete the 24-hour monitoring period. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that conventional blood pressure monitoring underestimates the incidence of post-transplantation hypertension. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is well tolerated and may improve the management of post-transplantation hypertension. White-coat hypertension is an uncommon diagnosis after cardiac transplantation, and those recipients who are hypertensive in the clinic setting should be considered true hypertensives.

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