Pierre Nazeyrollas

The impact of valve surgery on short- and long-term mortality in left-sided infective endocarditis: do differences in methodological approaches explain previous conflicting results?

AIMS The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of valve surgery (VS) in infective endocarditis (IE) on 5-year mortality and to evaluate whether conflicting results reported by previous studies could be due to differences in their methodological approaches. METHODS AND RESULTS Four hundred and forty-nine patients with a definite left-sided IE were selected from a prospective, population-based study. Association between VS and 5-year mortality was examined with a Cox model. To determine the impact of different methodological approaches, we also analysed the relationship between VS and mortality in our database, according to each method used in the five previous studies. Valve surgery was performed in 240 patients (53%). It was associated with an increase in short-term mortality [within the first 14 post-operative days; adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 3.69; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.17-6.25; P<0.0001] and a decrease in long-term mortality (adjusted HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.35-0.87; P=0.01). At least 188 days of follow-up were required for VS to provide an overall survival advantage. When applying each studys method to our database, we obtained results similar to those reported. CONCLUSION Previous conflicting results appear to be related to differences in statistical methods. When using appropriate models, we found that VS was significantly associated with reduced long-term mortality.

Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Neurological Complications of Infective Endocarditis: Impact on Surgical Management and Prognosis.

Objectives Symptomatic neurological complications (NC) are a major cause of mortality in infective endocarditis (IE) but the impact of asymptomatic complications is unknown. We aimed to assess the impact of asymptomatic NC (AsNC) on the management and prognosis of IE. Methods From the database of cases collected for a population-based study on IE, we selected 283 patients with definite left-sided IE who had undergone at least one neuroimaging procedure (cerebral CT scan and/or MRI) performed as part of initial evaluation. Results Among those 283 patients, 100 had symptomatic neurological complications (SNC) prior to the investigation, 35 had an asymptomatic neurological complications (AsNC), and 148 had a normal cerebral imaging (NoNC). The rate of valve surgery was 43% in the 100 patients with SNC, 77% in the 35 with AsNC, and 54% in the 148 with NoNC (p<0.001). In-hospital mortality was 42% in patients with SNC, 8.6% in patients with AsNC, and 16.9% in patients with NoNC (p<0.001). Among the 135 patients with NC, 95 had an indication for valve surgery (71%), which was performed in 70 of them (mortality 20%) and not performed in 25 (mortality 68%). In a multivariate adjusted analysis of the 135 patients with NC, age, renal failure, septic shock, and IE caused by S. aureus were independently associated with in-hospital and 1-year mortality. In addition SNC was an independent predictor of 1-year mortality. Conclusions The presence of NC was associated with a poorer prognosis when symptomatic. Patients with AsNC had the highest rate of valve surgery and the lowest mortality rate, which suggests a protective role of surgery guided by systematic neuroimaging results.

Safety of Eplerenone for Kidney-Transplant Recipients with Impaired Renal Function and Receiving Cyclosporine A.

Background Animal studies have highlighted the role of vascular mineralocorticoid receptor during Cyclosporine A-induced nephrotoxicity. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists could improve kidney survival but are not commonly used during renal impairment and in association with several immunosuppressive drugs due to a supposed higher risk of adverse events. We tested the tolerance of eplerenone according to its expected adverse events: hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, hypotension, acute kidney failure, or any other adverse event. Methods We conducted a single-center, prospective, open-label study in 31 kidney-transplant recipients with impaired renal function (30 and 50 mL/min/1.73m2) and receiving cyclosporine A. All patients received eplerenone 25 mg/d for 8 weeks. Serum potassium, renal function and expected adverse events were closely monitored. Results Eight patients experienced mild hyperkalemia (>5 mmol/L), one moderate hyperkalemia (>5.5 mmol/L) and had to receive potassium-exchange resin. No severe hyperkalemia (>6 mmol/L) occurred. One acute kidney failure was observed, secondary to diarrhea. Basal serum potassium and bicarbonate were independently associated with a higher risk of developing mild hyperkalemia (>5 mmol/L) under treatment (OR 6.5, p = 0.003 and 0.7, p = 0.007, respectively). A cut-off value of 4.35 mmol/L for basal serum potassium was the best factor to predict the risk of developing mild hyperkalemia (>5 mmol/L). Conclusions Until eGFR falls to 30 mL/min/1.73m2, eplerenone could be safely given to kidney-transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine A, if kalemia is closely monitored. When renal function is impaired and if basal kalemia is >4.35 mmol/L, then clinicians should properly balance risk and benefit of eplerenone use and offer dietary advice. An adequately powered prospective randomized study is now needed to test its efficiency (and safety) in this population. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01834768

Prostanoid Receptors Involved in Regulation of the Beating Rate of Neonatal Rat Cardiomyocytes

Although prostanoids are known to be involved in regulation of the spontaneous beating rate of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, the various subtypes of prostanoid receptors have not been investigated in detail. In our experiments, prostaglandin (PG)F2α and prostanoid FP receptor agonists (fluprostenol, latanoprost and cloprostenol) produced a decrease in the beating rate. Two prostanoid IP receptor agonists (iloprost and beraprost) induced first a marked drop in the beating rate and then definitive abrogation of beating. In contrast, the prostanoid DP receptor agonists (PGD2 and BW245C) and TP receptor agonists (U-46619) produced increases in the beating rate. Sulprostone (a prostanoid EP1 and EP3 receptor agonist) induced marked increases in the beating rate, which were suppressed by SC-19220 (a selective prostanoid EP1 antagonist). Butaprost (a selective prostanoid EP2 receptor agonist), misoprostol (a prostanoid EP2 and EP3 receptor agonist), 11-deoxy-PGE1 (a prostanoid EP2, EP3 and EP4 receptor agonist) did not alter the beating rate. Our results strongly suggest that prostanoid EP1 receptors are involved in positive regulation of the beating rate. Prostanoid EP1 receptor expression was confirmed by western blotting with a selective antibody. Hence, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes express both prostanoid IP and FP receptors (which negatively regulate the spontaneous beating rate) and prostanoid TP, DP1 and EP1 receptors (which positively regulate the spontaneous beating rate).

Minimizing exposure to radiation in invasive cardiology using modern dose-reduction technology: evaluation of the real-life effects

We aimed to measure the reduction in the estimated dose of radiation received by patients that can be achieved using dose‐reduction technology (ClarityIQ, Philips Healthcare, The Netherlands), among all patients undergoing invasive cardiology procedures.

Trends in Patient Exposure to Radiation in Percutaneous Coronary Interventions Over a 10-Year Period

Technological progress has made it possible to reduce the dose of radiation delivered by medical x-ray systems. In parallel, interventional coronary procedures have become increasingly complex and consequently, last longer. This study aimed to compare the estimated dose of radiation received by patients in interventional cardiology at 10 years interval (2006 vs 2016). The study population included all patients who underwent interventional coronary procedures in one of the catheterization laboratories of our institution during 2 periods, namely, period 1 from October 2005 to March 2006, and period 2 from November 2015 to October 2016. The primary end point was the estimated dose of radiation received by the patient as assessed by dose area product. In 2016, the estimated dose of radiation received by patients who underwent interventional coronary procedures was on average 78% lower than that received in 2006 (p <0.0001), whereas the fluoroscopy time increased by 54% on average over the same period (p <0.0001). By multivariate analysis, including age, approach, body mass index, fluoroscopy time, and performance of angioplasty, the reduction in radiation remained significant. The radial approach was significantly associated with an increased estimated dose of radiation received (p <0.0001). In conclusion, the estimated dose of radiation received by patients who underwent interventional cardiology procedures has been reduced by 78% over the last decade.

Reduction in exposure of interventional cardiologists to ionising radiation over a 10-year period

Exposure of operators to ionising radiation in interventional cardiology has likely diminished, but data confirming the magnitude of the reduction are lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the dose of radiation received by interventional cardiology operators at 11 years interval (2006 vs 2017). The study population comprised all interventional coronary procedures performed by a single operator in one catheterization laboratory (cathlab) of a large university hospital in north-eastern France. Exposure was compared between two periods, namely period 1 (from October 2005 to March 2006) and period 2 (from March 2017 to June 2017). The primary endpoint was the dose of radiation received by the operator, measured using an electronic dosimeter placed on the operators left arm. In 2017, the dose of radiation received by the operators was, on average, 95% lower than the dose received in 2006 (p < 0.0001), even though the average fluoroscopy time increased by 73% over the same period (p < 0.0001). By multivariable analysis including body mass index, fluoroscopy time and performance of at least one (1) coronary angioplasty, the reduction in the operators exposure to radiation remained significant. The dose of radiation received by interventional cardiology operators has decreased by 95% over the last ten years.