Search

Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess single right ventricular (RV) function in a large cohort of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) patients after the completion of total cavopulmonary connection by analysing serial cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) studies. METHODS CMR studies from 95 HLHS patients were analysed. RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes (RVEDV, RVESV), ejection fraction (RVEF) and long-axis strain (LAS) were measured from cine images. RESULTS All 95 patients had at least 2 CMR scans and 35 patients had 3 CMR scans. The median age (first quartile–third quartile) at the 3 examinations was 4.2 (3.3–6.1), 9.4 (6.1–11.4) and 14.6 (11.8–16.8) years. RV indexed volumes (RVEDVi and RVESVi) increased from first to the second and from the first and second examination to the third examination in patients with >10 years of age (P  < 0.05). There was a slight decrease in RVEF and LAS throughout the examinations, but this was not statistically significant. Correlations were found between RVEF and LAS (r  = −0.23; P  < 0.01). Both RVEF and LAS correlated with RVEDVi and RVESVi (r  = −0.17 to 0.43; P  < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Serial assessment of CMR studies in HLHS patients after total cavopulmonary connection completion demonstrate an increase in indexed RV volumes in older HLHS patients but only mild reduction in RVEF and LAS. The correlation of indexed RV volumes with RVEF and LAS together with the significant increase in RV volumes over time suggests that indexed RV volumes might be superior to RV functional markers to monitor the RV in HLHS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement has become a valid treatment option for right ventricular outflow tract diseases. However, some limitations occur in patients with wide, compliant right ventricular outflow tracts that might be amenable to treatment with self-expanding valved protheses. An experimental ovine study was designed to evaluate a novel dip-coated, low-profile trileaflet polycarbonate urethane (PCU) heart valve mounted into a self-expandable nitinol stent. METHODS The PCU valves were produced by a dip-coating technique, mounted in a conical-shaped nitinol stent and provided with a leaflet thickness of 100–150 µm. The valved stents were implanted percutaneously via transfemoral access in 6 consecutive sheep divided into 2 groups. Three animals were followed up for 1 month and the remainder, for 6 months. Angiographic measurements and transthoracic echocardiography were performed before and after implantation and at the end of the 1- or 6-month observation period, respectively. RESULTS Orthotopic positioning of the valve was achieved in all animals. All except 1 had competent valves during the follow-up period. The peak-to-peak gradient across the PCU valved stents was 4.6 ± 1.0 mmHg after 1 month and 4.4 ± 2.3 mmHg after 6 months of follow-up. Macroscopic and microscopic post-mortem evaluation indicated good morphological and structural results. There were no stent fractures, leaflet calcification or thrombus formation. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates successful transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement with a novel dip-coated valved nitinol stent. The trileaflet PCU prostheses indicated good functional and biocompatible properties after a 6-month observation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of dermatophytoses with currently available antimycotic agents is often tedious and sometimes unsatisfactory. A search for better therapeutic methods--ideally with an immediate fungicidal effect--has, among others, lead to photodynamic procedures as a promising alternative, and recently curcumin was found to be a suitable agent for this application. In this study the effect of photodynamic treatment with curcumin on dermatophytes was tested in vitro. Wells of microtiter plates were filled with conidia of Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, Trichophyton terrestre, Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Epidermophyton floccosum in buffer. Then curcumin was added to the conidia and after 20 min the assays were irradiated one time only with visible light (peak wave length 367 nm, 5 J/cm²). Thereafter the wells were filled up with Sabouraud's glucose broth and in the following fungal growth was measured photometrically. The results showed that all dermatophytes were markedly inhibited depending on the concentration of curcumin. With 5.4 mg/l curcumin plus irradiation fungal growth was significantly suppressed over a period of 96 h (P < .001). Even after 96 h inhibition of T. rubrum was still complete and marked for all other species as well. M. gypseum was least susceptible. Our results are very encouraging to pursue the development of a photodynamic therapy of tinea with curcumin. The outstanding tolerance of curcumin and the innocuousness of the required light are favorable preconditions for this task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I Cardiovascular Research i , cvab290, https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab290 I Cardiovascular Research i , 2021,https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab290 In the originally published version of this article, an error was noted. The following text should read: "whereas an FiO SB 2 sb of 0.16 resulted in mild hypoxaemia (hx; PaO SB 2 sb , 75 ± 16 mmHg; SaO SB 2 sb , 89 ± 3%) (4-6 mice per group)" instead of "whereas an FiO SB 2 sb of 0.16 resulted in mild hypoxaemia (hx; PaO SB 2 sb , 104 ± 15 mmHg; SaO SB 2 sb , 92 ± 3%) (4-6 mice per group)". [Extracted from the article]