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Abstract Background The impact of sex hormones on right and left auricular contractile apparatus function is largely unknown. We evaluated the impact of sex hormones on left and right heart contractility at the level of myocardial filaments harvested from left and right auricles during elective coronary artery bypass surgery. Methods 150 patients (132 male; 18 female) were enrolled. Preoperative testosterone and estradiol levels were measured with Immunoassay. Calcium induced force measurements were performed with left- and right auricular myofilaments in a skinned fiber model. Correlation analysis was used for comparison of force values and levels of sex hormones and their ratio. Results Low testosterone was associated with higher top force values in right-sided myofilaments but not in left-sided myofilaments for both sexes (p = 0.000 in males, p = 0.001 in females). Low estradiol levels were associated with higher top force values in right-sided myofilaments (p 0.000) in females and only borderline significantly associated with higher top force values in males (p 0.056). In females, low estradiol levels correlated with higher top force values in left sided myofilaments (p 0.000). In males, higher Estradiol/Testosterone ratio (E/T ratio) was only associated with higher top force values from right auricular myofilaments (p 0.04) In contrast, in females higher E/T ratio was associated with lower right auricular myofilament top force values (p 0.03) and higher top force values in left-sided myofilaments (p 0.000). Conclusions This study shows that patients’ comorbidities influence left and right sided contractility and may blur results concerning influence of sex hormones if not eliminated. A sex hormone dependent influence is obvious with different effects on the left and right ventricle. The E/T ratio and its impact on myofilament top force showed divergent results between genders, and may partially explain gender differences in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Objectives: We investigated the sex-related difference in characteristics and 2-year outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) by propensity-score matching (PSM)., Methods: Data from 2 prospective registries, the INSPIRIS RESILIA Durability Registry (INDURE) and IMPACT, were merged, resulting in a total of 933 patients: 735 males and 253 females undergoing first-time SAVR. The PSM was performed to assess the impact of sex on the SAVR outcomes, yielding 433 males and 243 females with comparable baseline characteristics., Results: Females had a lower body mass index (median 27.1 vs 28.0 kg/m2; P = 0.008), fewer bicuspid valves (52% vs 59%; P = 0.036), higher EuroSCORE II (mean 2.3 vs 1.8%; P < 0.001) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (mean 1.6 vs 0.9%; P < 0.001), were more often in New York Heart Association functional class III/IV (47% vs 30%; P < 0.001) and angina Canadian Cardiovascular Society III/IV (8.2% vs 4.4%; P < 0.001), but had a lower rate of myocardial infarction (1.9% vs 5.2%; P = 0.028) compared to males. These differences vanished after PSM, except for the EuroSCORE II and Society of Thoracic Surgeons scores, which were still significantly higher in females. Furthermore, females required smaller valves (median diameter 23.0 vs 25.0 mm, P < 0.001). There were no differences in the length of hospital stay (median 8 days) or intensive care unit stay (median 24 vs 25 hours) between the 2 sexes. At 2 years, post-SAVR outcomes were comparable between males and females, even after PSM., Conclusions: Despite females presenting with a significantly higher surgical risk profile, 2-year outcomes following SAVR were comparable between males and females., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a lifesaving therapy in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Hemostatic complications are frequently observed in patients on ECMO and limit the success of this therapy. Platelets are key mediators of hemostasis enabling activation, aggregation, and thrombus formation by coming in contact with exposed matrix proteins via their surface receptors such as glycoprotein (GP) VI or GPIb/V/IX. Recent research has elucidated a regulatory role of the GPV subunit. The cleaved soluble GPV (sGPV) ectodomain was identified to spatiotemporally control fibrin formation through complex formation with thrombin., Objectives: We aimed to decipher the impact of ECMO on platelet phenotype and function, including the role of GPV and plasmatic sGPV., Methods: We recruited 36 patients with ARDS in the wake of COVID-19 pneumonia and performed a longitudinal comparison of platelet phenotype and function in non-ECMO (n = 23) vs ECMO (n = 13) compared with those of healthy controls. Patients were assessed at up to 3 time points (t 1  = days 1-3; t 2  = days 4-6; and t 3  = days 7-14 after cannulation/study inclusion)., Results: Agonist-induced platelet activation was assessed by flow cytometry and revealed decreased GPIIb/IIIa activation and α-granule release in all ARDS patients. During ECMO treatment, agonist-induced δ-granule release continuously decreased, which was independently confirmed by electron microscopy and was associated with a prolonged in vitro bleeding time. GPV expression on the platelet surface markedly decreased in ECMO patients compared with that in non-ECMO patients. Plasma sGPV levels were increased in ECMO patients and were associated with poor outcome., Conclusion: Our data demonstrate an ECMO-intrinsic platelet δ-granule deficiency and hemostatic dysfunction beyond the underlying ARDS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests There are no competing interests to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background:  Decellularized pulmonary homografts are being increasingly adopted for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in adult patients undergoing the Ross procedure. Few reports presented Matrix PplusN xenograft (Matrix) in a negative light. The objective of this study was to compare our midterm outcomes of Matrix xenograft versus standard cryopreserved pulmonary homograft (CPHG)., Methods:  Eighteen patients received Matrix xenograft between January 2012 and June 2016, whereas 66 patients received CPHG. Using nonparametric statistical tests and survival analysis, we compared midterm echocardiographic and clinical outcomes between the groups., Results:  Except for significant age difference (the Matrix group was significantly older with 57 ± 8 years than the CPHG group, 48 ± 9 years, p  = 0.02), the groups were similar in all other baseline characteristics. There were no significant differences in cardiopulmonary bypass times (208.3 ± 32.1 vs. 202.8 ± 34.8) or in cross-clamp times (174 ± 33.9 vs. 184.4 ± 31.1) for Matrix and CPHG, respectively. The Matrix group had significantly inferior freedom from reintervention than the CPHG group with 77.8 versus 98.5% ( p  = 0.02). Freedom from pulmonary valve regurgitation ≥ 2 was not significantly different between the groups with 82.4 versus 90.5% for Matrix versus CPHG, respectively. After median follow-up of 4.9 years, Matrix xenograft developed significantly higher peak pressure gradients compared with CPHG (20.4 ± 15.5 vs. 12.2 ± 9.0 mm Hg; p  = 0.04)., Conclusion:  After 5 years of clinical and echocardiographic follow-up, the decellularized Matrix xenograft had inferior freedom from reintervention compared with the standard CPHG. Closer follow-up is necessary to avoid progression of valve failure into right ventricular deterioration., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)