Mild hypothermia versus normothermia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Objective: Temperature during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiac surgery has been controversial. The aim of the current study is to compare the outcomes for patients with mild hypothermia versus normothermic CPB temperatures.

Methods: All patients who underwent cardiac surgery with CPB and temperatures ≥32°C from 2011 to 2018 were included, which consisted of mild hypothermia (32°C-35°C) and normothermia (>35°C) cohorts.

Permanent pacemaker placement following valve surgery is not independently associated with worse outcomes.

Background: Permanent pacemaker placement (PPM) is associated with morbidity following cardiac surgery. This study identified associations between PPM placement and 5-year outcomes for patients that require PPM following valvular surgery.

Methods: All patients who underwent valvular surgery at our medical center from 2011 to 2018 were considered for analysis.

Outcomes in Patients With Severe Chronic Lung Disease Undergoing Index Cardiac Operations.

Background: This study evaluated the impact of severe chronic lung disease on outcomes of index adult cardiac operations.

Methods: A single-center, retrospective study of adult patients with severe chronic lung disease (as defined by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons) undergoing index cardiac operations between 2010 and 2018 was performed. Multivariable Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to evaluate survival.

High-Risk Committee for Cardiac Surgery Decision-Making: Results From 110 Consecutive Patients.

Background: This study evaluated our institutional experience in forming a surgeon-based committee to discuss and provide consensus opinion on high-risk cardiac surgical cases.

Methods: The committee consisted of 4 surgeons with at least 1 senior surgeon at any given time with a rotating schedule. Patients with a Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality above specified thresholds were mandated for referral to the committee in addition to patients referred at the discretion of the surgeon.

Left ventricular assist device implantation in patients with a history of malignancy.

Background: This study evaluates the impact of a history of malignancy on outcomes of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

Methods: Adult patients with a preimplant history of malignancy who underwent LVAD implantation between 2006 and 2018 were included. The primary outcome was post-LVAD survival.

Outcomes of left ventricular assist device implantation in hypercoagulable patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in patients who tested positive for hypercoagulable hematologic disorders.

Methods: Adults undergoing continuous-flow LVAD implantation with preoperative hypercoagulability testing between 2004 and 2018 at a single center were reviewed. Hypercoagulability was defined as testing positive for antiphospholipid antibody, anticardiolipin antibody, lupus anticoagulant, protein C, protein S, factor V Leiden, and/or heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Outcomes of tissue versus mechanical aortic valve replacement in patients 50 to 70 years of age.

Background: Societal guidelines suggest that aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients age 50 to 70 years can be performed with either bioprosthetic or mechanical valves. This study reviewed outcomes between these valve types among patients aged 50 to 70 years undergoing AVR.

Methods: We examined adult patients 50 to 70 years undergoing isolated AVR with a mechanical or bioprosthetic valve at a single institution between 2010 and 2018.

DESE: estimating driver tissues by selective expression of genes associated with complex diseases or traits.

The driver tissues or cell types in which susceptibility genes initiate diseases remain elusive. We develop a unified framework to detect the causal tissues of complex diseases or traits according to selective expression of disease-associated genes in genome-wide association studies (GWASs). This framework consists of three components which run iteratively to produce a converged prioritization list of driver tissues.