Very High Sputum Cyanide Concentrations during Acute Pulmonary Exacerbations in Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Abstract Background: Cyanide (CN) has been shown to be chronically present in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, as a byproduct Pseudomonas’ metabolism. We sought to determine the concentrations of CN in the sputum of CF patients, who were admitted to the hospital with acute clinical exacerbations using 2 different approaches. Methods: Sputum was collected within 1 day (median) of admission and immediately analyzed for the presence of total and free CN. Results: We found 1) toxic levels of CN in the sputum of our patients, ranging from 27 to 401 µM, 2) the majority of the cyanide was in the form of free, thus diffusible, CN and 3) no cyanide in the blood. Conclusions: While the chronic presence of CN in patients colonized with pseudomonas is not a new concept, the present data support the view that very high levels of free cyanide are present in the airways of CF patients during an acute clinical exacerbation, i.e. levels compatible with concentrations of CN able to virtually stop the mitochondrial activity. It becomes therefore urgent to investigate whether, in CF patients, cyanide is a significant factor affecting the short and long-term outcome and whether a specific treatment of CN intoxication of the airways is warranted during an exacerbation.

Download Full-text

Syncope in relation to pulmonary arterial obstructive burden, hemodynamic status and short- and long-term outcome in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.2278 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

B Keskin ◽

H.C Tokgoz ◽

O.Y Akbal ◽

A Hakgor ◽

S Tanyeri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Embolism ◽

Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽

Right Atrial ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Risk Status ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

Short And Long Term ◽

Severity Indexes

Abstract Background and aims Although syncope (S) has been reported as one of the presenting findings in patients (pts) with acute pulmonary embolism (APE), its clinical and haemodynamic correlates and impacts on the long-term outcome in this setting remains to be determined. In this single-centre study we evaluated the clinical and haemodynamic significance of S in APE in initial asessment, and during short- and long-term follow-up period. Methods Our study was based on the retrospective and prospective analysis of the overall 641 pts (age 65 (51–74 IQR) yrs, 56.2% female) with diagnosis of documented APE who underwent anticoagulant (n=207), thrombolytic (n=164), utrasound-facilitated thrombolysis (UFT) (n=218) or rheolytic thrombectomy (RT) (n=52). The systematic work- up including multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), Echo, biomarkers, and PE severity indexes were performed in all pts, and Qanadli score (QS) was used as the measure of the thrombotic burden in the pulmonary arteries (PA). Results The S as the presenting symptom In 30.2% of pts with APE. At baseline assessment, S(+) vs S(−) APE subgroups had a significantly shorter symptom-diagnosis interval, a higher risk status according to the significant elevations in troponin T, D-dimer, the higher PE severity indexes, a more deteriorated right ventricle/left ventricle ratio (RV/LV r), right atrial/left atrial ratio (LA/RAr) and RV longitudinal function indexes including tricuspid annular planary excursion (TAPSE) and tissue velocity (St), a significantly higher PA obstructive burden as assessed by QS and PA pressures. Thrombolytic therapy (36.2% vs 21%, p<0.001) and RT (11.9% vs 6.47%, p=0.037) were more frequently utilized S(+) as compared to S(−) group. However, all these differences between two subgroups were found to disappear after evidence-based APE treatments. In-hospital mortality (IHM) (12.95% vs 6%, p=0.007) and minor bleeding (10.36% vs 2.9%, p<0.001) were significantly higher in S(+) pts as compared to those in S(−) subgroup. Binominal logistic regression analysis revealed that PESI score and RV/LVr independently associated with S while IHM was only predicted by age and heart rate. The COX proportional hazard method showed that RV/LVr at discharge and malignancy were independently associated with cumulative mortality during follow-up duration of 620 (200–1170 IQ) days. Conclusions The presence of S in pts with APE was found to be asociated with a higher PA obstructive burden, a more deteriorated RV function and haemodynamics and higher risk status which may need more agressive reperfusion treatments. However, in the presence of the optimal treatments, S did not predict neither in-hospital outcome, nor long-term mortality. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Download Full-text

Systolic blood pressure and outcome in patients admitted with acute heart failure: a pooled analysis from 4 randomized clinical trials

European Heart Journal Acute Cardiovascular Care ◽

10.1093/ehjacc/zuab020.045 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

J Grand ◽

K Miger ◽

A Sajadieh ◽

L Kober ◽

C Torp-Pedersen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Composite Endpoint ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Short And Long Term

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): The Danish Heart Foundation Background In acute heart failure (AHF), low systolic blood pressure (SBP) has been associated with poor outcome. Less is known of the risk related to normal versus elevated SBP and interaction with left ventricular ejection fraction. Purpose The aim of the present study was to assess the association between baseline SBP and short- and long-term outcome in a large cohort of AHF-patients. Methods A pooled cohort of four randomized controlled trials investigating the vasodilator serelaxin versus placebo in patients admitted with AHF and an SBP from 125 to 180 mmHg. Endpoints were 180-day all-cause mortality and a short-term composite endpoint (worsening heart failure, all-cause mortality or hospital readmission for HF through Day 14). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was categorized into HFrEF (<40%) and HFpEF (= >40%). Multivariable Cox regression was used and adjusted for age, sex, baseline body mass index, HFrEF, serum estimated glomerular filtration rate, allocated treatment (placebo/serelaxin), diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and atrial fibrillation/flutter. Measurements and Main Results A total of 10.533 patients with a mean age of 73 (±12) years and median SBP of 140 (130-150) mmHg were included within mean 8.2 hours from admission. LVEF was assessed in 8493 (81%), and of these, 4294 (51%) had HFrEF. Increasing SBP as a continuous variable was inversely associated with 180-day mortality (HRadjusted: 0.93 [0.88-0.98], p = 0.004 per 10 mmHg increase) and with the composite endpoint (HRadjusted: 0.90 [0.85-0.95], p < 0.0001 per 10 mmHg increase). A significant interaction was observed regarding LVEF, revealing that SBP was not associated with mortality in patients with HFpEF (HRadjusted: 1.01 [0.94-1.09], p = 0.83 per 10 mmHg increase), but SBP was associated with increased mortality in HFrEF (HRadjusted: 0.80 [0.73-0.88], p < 0.001 per 10 mmHg increase) (Figure). Conclusions Elevated SBP is independently associated with favorable short- and long-term outcome in AHF-patients. The association between SBP and mortality was, however, not present in patients with preserved LVEF. Abstract Figure. Survival plots by SBP and LVEF

Download Full-text

Maternal Vaginal Ureaplasma spp. Colonization in Early Pregnancy Is Associated with Adverse Short- and Long-Term Outcome of Very Preterm Infants

Children ◽

10.3390/children8040276 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 276

Author(s):

Judith Rittenschober-Böhm ◽

Tanja Habermüller ◽

Thomas Waldhoer ◽

Renate Fuiko ◽

Stefan M. Schulz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preterm Infants ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

Very Preterm Infants ◽

Very Preterm ◽

Vaginal Colonization ◽

Short And Long Term

Vaginal colonization with Ureaplasma (U.) spp. has been shown to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcome; however, data on neonatal outcome are scarce. The aim of the study was to investigate whether maternal vaginal colonization with U. spp. in early pregnancy represents a risk factor for adverse short- or long-term outcome of preterm infants. Previously, 4330 pregnant women were enrolled in an observational multicenter study, analyzing the association between vaginal U. spp. colonization and spontaneous preterm birth. U. spp. colonization was diagnosed via PCR analysis from vaginal swabs. For this study, data on short-term outcome were collected from medical records and long-term outcome was examined via Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 24 months adjusted age. Two-hundred-and-thirty-eight children were born <33 weeks gestational age. After exclusion due to asphyxia, malformations, and lost-to-follow-up, data on short-term and long-term outcome were available from 222 and 92 infants, respectively. Results show a significant association between vaginal U. spp. colonization and severe intraventricular hemorrhage (10.4% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.03), retinopathy of prematurity (21.7% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.03), and adverse psychomotor outcome (24.3% vs. 1.8%, OR 13.154, 95%CI 1.6,110.2, p = 0.005). The data suggest an association between vaginal U. spp. colonization in early pregnancy and adverse short- and long-term outcome of very preterm infants.

Download Full-text