scholarly journals Methodological quality of a meta-analysis precedes its clinical significance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinlin Wu ◽  
Tucheng Sun ◽  
Ruixin Fan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Circulatory Arrest ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Acute Type ◽  
Frozen Elephant Trunk ◽  
Elephant Trunk ◽  
Type A Aortic Dissection ◽  
Neurological Outcomes

In this letter, we commented on several issues of the recent study entitled “Hypothermic circulatory arrest time affects neurological outcomes of frozen elephant trunk for acute type A aortic dissection: A systematic review and meta‐analysis” by Dr. Mousavizadeh et al. We hope to improve the clarity of this research and call attention to the methodological quality of performing a meta-analysis.

scholarly journals Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest Time affects neurological outcomes of Frozen Elephant Trunk for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Mousavizadeh ◽  
Mahdi Daliri ◽  
Hadi Abo Aljadayel ◽  
Mohammed Idhrees ◽  
Yousef Rezaei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aortic Dissection ◽  
Circulatory Arrest ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Type A ◽  
Acute Type ◽  
Frozen Elephant Trunk ◽  
Elephant Trunk ◽  
Type A Aortic Dissection ◽  
Neurological Outcomes ◽  
Neurologic Outcomes

Background: The treatment of complex thoracic aorta pathologies remains a challenge for cardiovascular surgeons. After introducing Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET), a significant evolution of surgical techniques has been achieved. The present meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of FET in acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and the effect of circulatory arrest time on post-operative neurologic outcomes. Methods: A standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses search was conducted for all observational studies of patients diagnosed with ATAAD undergoing total arch replacement with FET reporting in-hospital mortality, bleeding, and neurological outcomes. A random-effect meta-analysis was performed using STATA software (StataCorp, TX, USA). Results: Thirty-five studies were eligible for the present meta-analysis, including 3211 patients with ATAAD who underwent total arch replacement with FET. The pooled estimate for in-hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, and spinal cord injury were 7% (95% CI 5 – 9; I2 = 68.65%), 5% (95% CI 4 – 7; I2 = 63.93%), and 3% (95% CI 2 – 4; I2 = 19.56%), respectively. Univariate meta-regression revealed that with increasing the duration of hypothermic circulatory arrest time, the effect sizes for postoperative stroke and SCI enhances. Conclusions: It seems that employing the FET procedure for acute type A dissection is associated with acceptable neurologic outcomes and a similar mortality rate comparing with other aorta pathologies. Besides, increasing hypothermic circulation arrest time appears to be a significant predictor of adverse neurologic outcomes after FET.

Clinical outcomes of a fenestrated frozen elephant trunk technique for acute type A aortic dissection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Homare Okamura ◽  
Yuichiro Kitada ◽  
Atsushi Miyagawa ◽  
Mamoru Arakawa ◽  
Hideo Adachi
Keyword(s):  
Aortic Dissection ◽  
Circulatory Arrest ◽  
Type A ◽  
Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest ◽  
Aortic Diameter ◽  
Acute Type ◽  
Frozen Elephant Trunk ◽  
Elephant Trunk ◽  
Type A Aortic Dissection

Abstract OBJECTIVES We investigated the outcomes of a fenestrated frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique performed without reconstruction of one or more supra-aortic vessels for aortic repair in patients with acute type A aortic dissection. METHODS We investigated 22 patients who underwent the fenestrated FET technique for acute type A aortic dissection at our hospital between December 2017 and April 2020. The most common symptom was chest pain and/or back pain. Nine patients presented with malperfusion and 1 with cardiac arrest, preoperatively. A FET was deployed under hypothermic circulatory arrest and manually fenestrated under direct vision. Single fenestration was made in the FET in 15 patients, 2 fenestrations in 5 patients and a total fenestrated technique in 2 patients. Concomitant procedures were performed in 5 patients. RESULTS The cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamp and hypothermic circulatory arrest times were 181 ± 49, 106 ± 43 and 37 ± 7 min, respectively. In-hospital mortality, stroke, or recurrent nerve injury did not occur in any patient. One patient developed paraparesis, which completely recovered at discharge. During the follow-up period (mean 18 ± 7 months), 1 patient died of heart failure. Fenestration site occlusion did not occur. Follow-up computed tomography (mean 12 ± 6 months postoperatively) revealed that the maximal aortic diameter remained unchanged at the levels of the distal end of the FET, the 10th thoracic vertebra and the coeliac artery; however, the aortic diameter was significantly reduced at the level of the pulmonary artery bifurcation. CONCLUSIONS The fenestrated FET technique is a simple, safe and effective procedure for selected patients with acute type A aortic dissection.

scholarly journals Neurological Complications Following Frozen Elephant Trunk for Aortic Dissection: What’s Truly to Blame?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Zhen Cian Patrick Tan ◽  
Hazem Elsantawy ◽  
Amr Abdelhaliem
Keyword(s):  
Circulatory Arrest ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Neurological Complications ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Acute Type ◽  
Frozen Elephant Trunk ◽  
Elephant Trunk ◽  
Landing Zone ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Aortic Dissections

Total arch repair (TAR) has become a mainstay of the surgical management of complex pathologies of the ascending aorta and aortic arch, in particular acute Type A aortic dissections (ATAAD). TAR with devices such as the frozen elephant trunk (FET) have been shown to dramatically improve clinical outcomes in such cases. However, TAR with FET remains an immensely challenging procedure, and the risk of debilitating postoperative complications remains high. Spinal cord ischaemia (SCI) and stroke are two particularly tragic adverse outcomes of TAR with FET; it is unsurprising therefore that much research has been done to determine both the underlying cause thereof, and strategies to mitigate this risk. Mousavizadeh and colleagues produced a fascinating systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the relationship between the duration of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) and the risk of developing complications including SCI and stroke. Their data seem to suggest HCA duration is a key factor in causing SCI and stroke following TAR with FET for ATAAD. However, other factors such as stent sizing and landing zone also contribute. Further prospective research into this relationship is recommended to fully elucidate what truly is to blame for these postoperative neurological complications.

scholarly journals The prevalence of diabetes in Afghanistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohail Akhtar ◽  
Jamal Abdul Nasir ◽  
Amara Javed ◽  
Mariyam Saleem ◽  
Sundas Sajjad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Included Study ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Or Education ◽  
Meta Regression

Abstract Background The aim of this paper is to investigate the prevalence of diabetes and its associated risk factors in Afghanistan through a systematic review and meta–analysis. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Google Scholar and the Cochrane library, carried out from inception to April 312,020, without language restriction. Meta–analysis was performed using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models with inverse variance weighting. The existence of publication bias was initially assessed by visual inspection of a funnel plot and then tested by the Egger regression test. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were used to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. This systematic review was reported by following the PRISMA guidelines and the methodological quality of each included study was evaluated using the STROBE guidelines. Results Out of 64 potentially relevant studies, only 06 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were considered for meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of diabetes in the general population based on population-based studies were 12.13% (95% CI: 8.86–16.24%), based on a pooled sample of 7071 individuals. Results of univariate meta-regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of diabetes increased with mean age, hypertension and obesity. There was no significant association between sex (male vs female), smoking, the methodological quality of included articles or education (illiterate vs literate) and the prevalence of diabetes. Conclusions This meta-analysis reports the 12.13% prevalence of diabetes in Afghanistan,with the highest prevalence in Kandahar and the lowest in Balkh province. The main risk factors include increasing age, obesity and hypertension. Community-based care and preventive training programmes are recommended. Trial registration This review was registered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD42020172624).

Frozen elephant trunk infection: to defrost or to debranch?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Nader ◽  
Yuthiline Chabry ◽  
Houda Nazih ◽  
Thierry Caus
Keyword(s):  
Proximal Part ◽  
Acute Type ◽  
Frozen Elephant Trunk ◽  
Elephant Trunk ◽  
Aortic Arch Replacement ◽  
Descending Aorta ◽  
Type A Aortic Dissection ◽  
Hybrid Prosthesis

Abstract Infections of frozen elephant trunk hybrid prosthesis (HP) are not well documented in the literature and their management is not standardized yet. We report herein the case of a 59-year-old patient who benefited from a Thoraflex™ HP aortic arch replacement for an acute type A aortic dissection. He presented a year later with a Staphylococcus aureus infection of the proximal part of this prosthesis. We performed a replacement of the proximal compound of the HP accompanied by a complete debranching of the 3 supra-aortic vessels with an inter-carotidal retro-oesophageal bypass. As we left in situ the endovascular graft within the descending aorta, a life-long antibiotic therapy was introduced. The postoperative follow-up was uneventful, and the patient discharged home 2 weeks after his surgery. As an alternative to a more radical redo surgery with major risk, a hybrid medical and surgical treatment of infected frozen elephant trunk could be considered.

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