Search

Background: Diastolic dysfunction is a predictor of poor outcomes in many cardiovascular conditions. At present, it is unclear whether diastolic dysfunction predicts adverse outcomes in patients with atypical aortic stenosis who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR)., Methods: Five hundred and twenty-three patients who underwent transcatheter AVR (TAVR) (n = 303) and surgical AVR (SAVR) (n = 220) at a single institution were included in our analysis. Baseline left and right heart invasive hemodynamics were assessed. Baseline transthoracic echocardiograms were reviewed to determine aortic stenosis subtype and parameters of diastolic dysfunction. Aortic stenosis subtype was categorized as typical (normal flow, high-gradient) aortic stenosis, classical, low-flow, low-gradient (cLFLG) aortic stenosis, and paradoxical, low-flow, low-gradient (pLFLG) aortic stenosis. Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to examine the relation between invasive hemodynamic or echocardiographic variables of diastolic dysfunction, aortic stenosis subtype, and all-cause mortality. Propensity-score analysis was performed to study the relation between aortic stenosis subtype and the composite outcome [death/cerebrovascular accident (CVA)]., Results: The median STS risk was 5.3 and 2.5% for TAVR and SAVR patients, respectively. Relative to patients with typical aortic stenosis, patients with atypical (cLFLG and pLFLG) aortic stenosis displayed a significantly higher prevalence of diastolic dysfunction (LVEDP ≥ 20mmHg, PCWP ≥ 20mmHg, echo grade II or III diastolic dysfunction, and echo-PCWP ≥ 20mmHg) and, independently of AVR treatment modality, had a significantly increased risk of death. In propensity-score analysis, patients with atypical aortic stenosis had higher rates of death/CVA than typical aortic stenosis patients, independently of diastolic dysfunction and AVR treatment modality., Conclusion: We demonstrate the novel observation that compared with patients with typical aortic stenosis, patients with atypical aortic stenosis have a higher burden of diastolic dysfunction. We corroborate the worse outcomes previously reported in atypical versus typical aortic stenosis and demonstrate, for the first time, that this observation is independent of AVR treatment modality. Furthermore, the presence of diastolic dysfunction does not independently predict outcome in atypical aortic stenosis regardless of treatment type, suggesting that other factors are responsible for adverse clinical outcomes in this higher risk cohort., (Copyright © 2024 Italian Federation of Cardiology - I.F.C. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To construct a new scoring system utilizing biomarkers, vitals, and imaging data to predict 30-day mortality in acute pulmonary embolism (PE)., Background: Acute PE, a well-known manifestation of venous thromboembolic disease, is responsible for over 100,000 deaths worldwide yearly. Contemporary management algorithms rely on a multidisciplinary approach to care via PE response teams (PERT) in the identification of low, intermediate, and high-risk patients. The PESI and sPESI scores have been used as cornerstones of the triage process in assigning risk of 30-day mortality for patients presenting with acute PE; however, the specificity of these scoring systems has often come into question., Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 488 patients with acute PE who were managed at a tertiary care institution with either conservative therapy consisting of low molecular weight or unfractionated heparin, advanced therapies consisting of catheter directed therapies, aspiration thrombectomy, or a combination of these therapies, or surgical embolectomy. The CLOT-5 score was designed to include vital signs, biomarkers, and imaging data to predict 30-day mortality in patients presenting with acute PE., Results: The CLOT-5 score had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.901 with a standard error of 0.29, while the PESI and sPESI scores had an AUC and standard errors of 0.793 ±- 0.43 and 0.728 ± 0.55, respectively., Conclusions: When incorporated into the management algorithms of national PERT programs, the CLOT-5 score may allow for rapid and comprehensive assessment of patients with acute PE at high risk for clinical decompensation, leading to early escalation of care where appropriate., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Context: Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) is a rare but life-threatening condition in the pediatric population and there is no pediatric guidelines regarding anticoagulation for post traumatic CSVT., Objective: This study aims to describe a cohort of children with post traumatic CSVT and the use of anticoagulant therapy in this population., Methods: A multicenter retrospective study. Patients admitted with post traumatic CSVT in the six participating Pediatric Intensive Care Unit were included., Results: Overall, 29 patients (median age 8.2 years [IQR 4.8-14.6], n = 22 (76%) males) were included in the study (Table 1). CSVT was observed within the first 24 h after admission for a half of the patients (n = 14, 50%). Anticoagulation was initiated in 18 patients (62%). No patient received thrombolytic therapy or endovascular treatment. The presence of epidural hematoma was associated with the absence of anticoagulation (n = 0 versus n = 10, p = 0.003). One patient (3%) died of extracranial injury (not related with adverse event of anticoagulation) and in survivors, median Pediatric Overall Performance Category Outcome (POPC) score at discharge from PICU was 2 [IQR 2-4] (i.e., mild disability). Regarding the outcomes of patients, we found no association according to the anticoagulation status (p = 1). Overall, 23 patients (79%) had a follow-up cerebral imaging with a median delay of 42 days [IQR 6-63] after admission. CSVT was still seen in 9 patients (31%). We found no difference regarding the persistence of CSVT between patients according to the anticoagulation status (p = 0.36). The median duration of anticoagulant treatment was 58 days [IQR 44-91] and one patient (3%) experienced adverse event related to anticoagulation., Conclusion: There were minimal adverse events in patients with post traumatic CSVT treated with therapeutic anticoagulation. However, the effect of anticoagulation on outcomes needs to be confirmed in further studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (© 2023 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Left ventricular late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been associated with increased risk for life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The differences in association between LGE characteristics and prognosis in patients with ischemic (ICM) vs. non-ischemic (NICM) cardiomyopathy is incompletely understood., Methods: A total of 168 consecutive patients who underwent CMR imaging with either ICM or NICM were included in our study. LGE extent, location and pattern were examined for association to the primary endpoint of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and secondary endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE)., Results: Of 68 (41%) patients with ICM and 97 (59%) patients with NICM, median LGE mass was 15% (IQR 9-28) for the ICM group and 10% (IQR 6-15) for the NICM group. On multivariate analysis for both groups, LGE characteristics were prognostic while LVEF was not. In patients with ICM, septal and apical segment LGE, and involvement of multiple walls predicted both endpoints on multivariate analysis. LGE extent (≥median) and inferior wall LGE independently predicted the primary endpoint. In patients with NICM, anterior, inferior and apical segment LGE, and involvement of multiple walls predicted both endpoints on multivariate analysis. LGE extent (≥median, number of LGE segments, LGE stratified per 5% increase) and midwall LGE were independent predictors of the primary endpoint., Conclusions: Although LGE was an independent predictor of prognosis in both groups, LGE extent, location, and pattern characteristics were more powerful correlates to worse outcomes in patients with NICM than ICM., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Tat, Ball, Camren, Wroblewski, Dajani, Goldberg, Kinno, Sanagala, Syed, Wilber and Rabbat.)

Background: Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) remains the leading cause of brain injury in infants., Objective: This study aims to describe a cohort of patients with AHT and identify early risk factors associated with poor neurological outcome., Participants and Setting: Children under one year old admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of AHT were included. Neurological outcome was assessed by the Pediatric Overall Performance Category score (POPC) at discharge from the hospital and at two years of follow-up., Methods: A multicentre retrospective study was conducted over 8 years (from January 2012 to December 2020)., Results: A total of 117 patients (mean age 4.3 (+/- 2.5) months, 61 % boys) from three PICUs were included. A total of 99 (85 %) patients completed a 2-year follow-up. Sixty-one (52 %) and 47 (40 %) children with AHT had a POPC (pediatric overall performance category) score ≥ 2 at discharge from ICU and discharge from hospital, respectively (meaning they had at least a moderate disability). Fifty-one (44 %) had a POPC score ≥ 2 at 2-year follow-up, including 19 patients (19 %) with severe disabilities. The main neurological disabilities were neurodevelopmental (n = 38, 35 %), hyperactivity disorder (n = 36, 33 %) and epilepsy (n = 34, 31 %). After analysis according to the hierarchical model, the occurrence of a cardiorespiratory arrest and a low Glasgow Coma Score at admission stand out as factors of poor neurological outcome., Conclusion: This study highlights the wide range of neurological disabilities in children with AHT. Early and multidisciplinary follow-up is crucial to limit the impact of neurological disability., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Intracranial Hypertension (ICH) is a life-threatening complication of brain injury. The invasive measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) remains the gold standard to diagnose ICH. Measurement of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter (ONSD) using ultrasonography is a non-invasive method for detecting ICH. However, data on paediatric brain injury are scarce. The aim of the study was to determine the performance of the initial ONSD measurement to predict ICH occurring in children with severe brain injury and to describe the ONSD values in a control group., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, ONSD was measured in children aged 2 months-17 years old with invasive ICP monitoring: before placement of ICP probe and within the 60 min after, and then daily during 3 days. ONSD was also measured in a control group., Results: Ninety-nine patients were included, of whom 97 were analysed, with a median (IQR) age of 8.7 [2.3-13.6] years. The median (IQR) PIM 2 score was 6.6 [4.4-9.7] and the median (IQR) PELOD score was 21 [12-22]. Aetiologies of brain injury were trauma ( n = 72), infection ( n = 17) and stroke ( n = 8). ICH occurred in 65 children. The median (IQR) ONSD was 5.58 mm [5.05-5.85]. ONSD performed poorly when it came to predicting ICH occurrence within the first 24 h (area under the curve, 0.58). There was no significant difference between the ONSD of children who presented with ICH within the first 24 h and the other children, with a median (IQR) of 5.6 mm [5.1-5.9] and 5.4 mm [4.9-5.8], respectively. Infants aged less than 2 years had a median (IQR) ONSD of 4.9 mm [4.5-5.2], significantly different from children aged more than 2 years, whose median ONSD was 5.6 mm [5.2-5.9]. Age, aetiology or ICP levels did not change the results. Thirty-one controls were included, with a median age of 3.7 (1.2-8.8) years. The median (IQR) of their ONSD measurement was 4.5 mm [4.1-4.8], significantly lower than the patient group., Conclusion: In a paediatric severe brain injury population, ONSD measurement could not predict the 24 h occurrence of ICH. Severity of patients, timing and conditions of measurements may possibly explain these results., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Cour-Andlauer, Portefaix, Wroblewski, Rabilloud, Bordet, Cogniat, Didier, Pouyau, Valla, Kassai-Koupai, Siméon, Ginhoux, Courtil-Teyssedre and Javouhey.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of discomfort in infants with severe bronchiolitis supported by noninvasive ventilation and to identify its potential risk factors., Methods: A single-centre retrospective observational study. Discomfort was assessed using the EDIN (Echelle de Douleur et d'Inconfort du Nouveau-né) scale., Results: Ninety-one infants (median age 34 days [Interquartile IQR 19-55], 52 (57%) boys) were included in our study. Overall, no patient had a mean EDIN score higher than 8 on Days 1, 2 and 3. On Days 1 and 2, patients supported by bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) had a higher EDIN score compared with other patients (3.3 [SD 2.5] versus 2.6 [SD 2.2] on Day 1 and 2.9 (SD 2.1) versus 2.3 (SD 2.2) on Day 2, both p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Patients with severe bronchiolitis and supported by any type of noninvasive ventilation had a low degree of discomfort during the first 3 days of ICU stay. Patients requiring bilevel noninvasive ventilation appeared to have a higher degree of discomfort, while we found no correlation between the level of discomfort and the degree of respiratory distress., (© 2022 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The present study explores the frequency, diagnostic approach, and therapeutic management of cerebral vasospasm in a cohort of children with moderate-to-severe traumatic and nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)., Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study performed over a 10-year period, from January 2010 to December 2019. Children aged from one month to 18 years who were admitted to the pediatric or adult intensive care unit with a diagnosis of SAH were eligible. Cerebral vasospasm could be suspected by clinical signs or transcranial Doppler (TCD) criteria (mean blood flow velocity > 120 cm/s or an increase in mean blood flow velocity by > 50 cm/s within 24 h) and then confirmed on cerebral imaging (with a reduction to less than 50% of the caliber of the cerebral artery)., Results: Eighty patients aged 8.6 years (3.3-14.8 years, 25-75th centiles) were admitted with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 (4-12). SAH was nontraumatic in 21 (26%) patients. A total of 14/80 patients (18%) developed cerebral vasospasm on brain imaging on day 6 (5-10) after admission, with a predominance of nontraumatic SAH (12/14). The diagnosis of cerebral vasospasm was suspected on clinical signs and/or significant temporal changes in TCD monitoring (7 patients) and then confirmed on cerebral imaging. Thirteen of 14 patients with vasospasm were successfully treated using a continuous intravenous infusion of milrinone. The Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score at discharge from the intensive care unit was comparable between children with vasospasm (score of 2 [1-4]) vs. children without vasospasm (score of 4 [2-4]) (p = 0.09)., Conclusions: These findings indicate that cerebral vasospasm exists in pediatrics, particularly after nontraumatic SAH. The use of TCD and milrinone may help in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of cerebral vasospasm., (© 2021. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and Neurocritical Care Society.)