Infective endocarditis and thoracic aortic disease: A review on forgotten psychological aspects

AIM To summarize the current evidence on psychological issues in thoracic aortic disease(TAD) and infective endocarditis(IE) setting. METHODS We performed a narrative review about psychological issues in adults with IE and TAD. Through the electronic databases, Pub Med and Psyc INFO, we searched full manuscripts in English and published until September 1, 2014. RESULTS We found sixteen studies exploring psychological issues in patients with IE(six studies) and in TAD(ten papers). Psychological issues assessed were quality of life, depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. Quality of life was explored in IE(four papers) and in TAD(eight papers). Depression and anxiety were analyzed in TAD only(five papers). Post-traumatic stress disorder was assessed in IE(one study). Quality of life was found impaired in three of four studies about IE and in three of eight studies about TAD. Posttraumatic stress disorder was present in 11% and was associated with lower levels of quality of life in IE patients. In TAD patients, anxiety and depression levels after different invasive interventions did not differ. CONCLUSION Sixteen studies report about psychological issues in IE and TAD. Most of them explore quality of life and to a less extent anxiety and depression.

Hybrid Procedure for Thoracic Aortic Disease

Form 2008 to 2009, four patients with complex thoracic aortic disease, including aortic aneurysms and dissections, were successfully treated in our department with a new treatment approach:hybrid procedure.Combined open surgery and endovascular repair were performed in these patients without deep hypothermia or circulatory arrest.Compared to those who underwent traditional open surgery in the same period, time of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay was decreased in these four patients.All of them were discharged soon after operation without postoperative complications or death.The result suggests that this new approach could be an option for thoracic aortic disease, but long-term and large-population studies are still required to demonstrate the safety and validity.

Reoperation on aortic disease in patients with previous aortic valve surgery

Background Aortic valve replacement （AVR） is a safe and effective method in the treatment of aortic valve diseases. This study aimed to increase the understanding on re-treatment of aortic diseases after aortic valve surgery through a retrospective analysis of 47 related cases. Methods Forty-seven patients （38 males and 9 females） with previous aortic valve surgery have received reoperation on aorta from January 2003 to June 2012, and the mean interval time of re-intervention to aortic disease was 6 years （（6.0＋ 3.8） years）. The secondary aortic surgery included aortic root replacement （14 cases）, ascending aorta replacement （10 cases）, aortic root/ascending aorta plus total arch replacement with stented elephant trunk implantation （21 cases）, and total thoracoabdominal aorta replacement （2 cases）. All these patients have received outpatient re-exams or follow-up by phone calls, Results After the initial aortic valve replacement, patients suffered from aortic dissection （25 cases, 53%）, ascending aortic aneurysm （12 cases, 26%） or aortic root aneurysm （10 cases, 21%）, Diameter in ascending aorta increased （5.2＋7.1） mm per year and aortic sinus （3.3＋3.1） mm per year. The annual growth value of diameter in ascending aorta was higher in patients with rheumatic heart disease than that in Marfan syndrome （P〈0,05）. All 47 patients have received reoperation on aorta. One patient died in operating room because aortic dissection seriously involved right coronary artery. Seven patients had renal insufficiency after operation; neurological complications occurred in 14 patients including 7 patients with stroke and the others with transient brain dysfunction. All patients were followed up, the mean survival time was （97.25~17.63） months, 95% confidence interval was 55.24-73.33 months. Eight cases were died during follow-up and five-year survival rate was 83%. Conclusion To reduce the aortic adverse events after first aortic valve surgery, it is necessary to actively treat and strictly follow-up patients with previous aortic operation especially patients with Marfan syndrome and rheumatic heart disease.

Current knowledge and contemporary management of non-A non-B aortic dissections

Non-A non-B aortic dissection(AAD)is an infrequently documented condition,comprising of only a small proportion of all AADs.The unique anatomy of the aortic arch and the failure of the existing classifications to adequately define individuals with non-A non-B AAD,have led to an ongoing controversy around the topic.It seems that the clinical progression of acute non-A non-B AAD diverges from the typical type A and B dissections,frequently leading to serious complications and thus mandating early intervention.Currently,the available treatment methods in the surgical armamentarium are conventional open,endovascular techniques and combined hybrid methods.The optimum approach is tailored in every individual case and may be determined by the dissection’s location,extent,the aortic diameter,the associated complications and the patient’s status.The management of non-A non-B dissections still remains challenging and a unanimous consensus defining the gold standard treatment has yet to be reached.In an attempt to provide further insight into this perplexing entity,we performed a minireview of the literature,aiming to elucidate the epidemiology,clinical course and the optimal treatment modality.

The Characterization of Aortic Valve Calcification at Different Stage of Disease

Cardiac valve calcification is a common disease,especially among the elderly.Calcification can affect valve function and cause heart failure and sudden death(Adler et al.,2002).Aortic valve calcification is alsorelated to arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease(Rashedi et al.,2015).However,the origin of valve calcification is still unclear.This study characterized the

Staphylococcal thoracic aortitis complicated by aortic dissection

BACKGROUND:The diagnosis of aortitis is often delayed as symptoms are largely nonspecific.We report a case of Staphylococcal thoracic aortitis in a 73-year-old Chinese woman complicated by aortic dissection.METHODS:The patient presented with pyrexia of unknown origin,and a contrast enhanced computed tomography aortogram revealed a large thrombus at the anterior aspect of the ascending aorta with two large ulcerations as a result of a chronic type A aortic dissection.A hemiarch replacement with a 28 mm Gleweave Vascutek graft was performed with resuspension of aortic valve commisures.Aortic thrombus cultures were positive for coagulase negative Staphylococcus aureaus,and histology showed chronic dissection of the aorta.RESULTS:The patient was treated with intravenous cefazolin for a 6-week duration and made good progress.CONCLUSIONS:This case highlights Staphylococcal infective aortitis complicated by dissection presenting as fever of unknown origin.Timely diagnosis is essential as progression to catastrophic rupture may occur.

Vascular disease in the older adult

1 Introduction Among older adults, incidence and prevalence of aortic disease, peripheral arterial disease （PAD）, and venous thromboembolism （VTE） increase as age-related alterations in vascular structure and function are compounded by longer exposure to cardiovascular disease （CVD） risk factors. This review highlights the unique presentations and treatment strategies for aortic dissection, abdominal aortic aneurysm （AAA）, PAD, and VTE in older adults.

Biomechanical characterization of a novel ring connector for sutureless aortic anastomosis

The surgical treatment for aortic diseases remains a challenge for any cardiac surgeon. The use of sutureless ring connector in aortic anastomosis can simplify the procedure and shorten anastomosis time. Therefore, we developed a novel device for sutureless aortic anastomosis. A series of experiments were carried out for tensile and leakproofcapacity assessments to verify the feasibility of the ring connector by using fresh swine aorta samples. In in vivo test,the ring connector was implanted in 6 swine with follow-up of 6 months. Radiographic and pathological studies of the aorta were performed. In the tensile tests, the strength was 32.7±5.9 Newton(N) in the sutureless anastomosis group,compared with 73.3±12.5 N in the control group by traditional manual suture. In the leakproof-capacity assessment,no sign of either leakage or bursting was evident at 280 mmHg of internal pressure in the aorta samples. In in vivo tests,it took 9.47±0.3 minutes for the sutureless anastomosis, compared with 15.58± 1.39 minutes for hand-sewn suturing. Insertion was easy and rapid. Radiographic and pathological studies were performed at first month, third month and sixth month after surgery, each time obtained from the two swine, showed patency of the anastomosis and no signs of stenosis, blood leakage, migration or pseudoaneurysm formation, except one paralyzed swine developed of thrombo-occlusion at the site of the sutureless anastomosis. The result indicates that this novel ring connector offers considerable promise for sutureless aortic anastomosis.

A Clinicopathological Study on Aortic Valves in Children

In order to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of aortic valve disease in children, all the native surgically excised aortic valves obtained between January 2003 and December 2005 were studied macroscopically and microscopically. The patients’ medical records were reviewed and the clinical information was extracted. According to preoperative echocardiography, intraopera- tive assessment, and postoperative pathology, combined with clinical symptoms and signs, aortic valve diseases were divided into three categories: aortic stenosis (AS), aortic insufficiency (AI), and aortic stenosis with insufficiency (AS-AI). The etiology was determined according to the macro- scopic, microscopic and clinical findings. The results showed that among 70 aortic valves, patient age ranged from 6 to 18 years, with a mean of 15.4 years, and there were 56 boys and 14 girls (male: fe- male=4:1). Forty-four children only had pure aortic valve disease, and the other 26 children had aor- tic valve disease associated with other heart valve diseases. There were 5 cases of AS (7.14%), 60 cases of AI (85.71%) and 5 cases of AS-AI (7.14%). The causes were congenital aortic valve mal- formation (32 cases, 45.71%), rheumatic disease (28 cases, 40%), infective endocarditis (7 cases, 10%), Marfan syndrome (2 cases, 2.86%), and undetermined (1 case, 1.43%). It was concluded that the common causes of aortic valve disease in order of frequency in children were congenital aortic valve malformation, rheumatic disease, infective endocarditis, and Marfan syndrome. AI was more common in children with aortic valve disease. Compared with adult patients, congenital bicuspid aor- tic valve in children was often AI. Histologically, the leaflets of congenital bicuspid aortic valve were mainly myxomatous, fibrosis and calcification less seen. AI was frequently found in rheumatic dis- ease, mostly associated with other heart valve diseases. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations together with clinical information, echocardiographic findings and operative details were important in evaluating the etiology of aortic valve disease.

Effect of aortic valve replacement on ventricular recovery and functional class in patients with reduced left ventricular function

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the effects of aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) or regurgitation (AR) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Patients and methods: Retrospective analysis identified 75 consecutive patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessed by echocardiography < 40% who underwent AVR for AS (n = 40) or AR (n = 35) between 1994 and 2011. Exclusion criteria were previous myocardial infarction or concomitant valvular disorders other than aortic disease. Follow-up evaluated the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, LVEF and survival rate. Results: Mean ages were respectively 56.5 ± 9.3 and 47.9 ± 11.7 years in AS and AR groups, p = 0.001. Before surgery, 88% and 75% of patients were in NYHA III-IV respectively in AS and AR. In the AS group, the mean LVEF and aortic valve area (AVA) were respectively 32.2% ± 8% and 0.65 ± 0.15 cm2. AR group had a mean LVEF of 33.8 ± 6.7% and a mean LV systolic diameter of 62 ± 8.8 mm. All patients underwent AVR under cardiopulmonary bypass. There were 5 operative deaths (12.5%) in AS group and 6 (17.6%) in AR group, p = 0.57. LVEF increased to 49% ± 14.7% and 51.2% ± 10.9% in the AS and AR groups after echocardiography control. The survival rates at 1, 5 and 10 years were respectively 94.4%, 87% and 80% in AS group and 95.2%, 93% and 89% in AR group. Conclusion: Despite higher perioperative mortality in patients with aortic valve disease (AS or AR) and LV dysfunction, long-term outcome is excellent. We, therefore, conclude that AVR can be performed and it should not be denied to patients on the basis of low EF alone.

Atherosclerotic aortic plaques detected by transesophageal echocardiography

Objective To evaluate the predictive value of atherosclerotic aortic plaques in coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods In 50 patients with suspected coronary artery disease, transesophageal echocardiography was performed to examine their thoracic aortas 2 weeks before or after coronary angiography. In the cases of coronary angiography studied, stenosis of the coronary artery ≥50%was considered to be due to coronary artery disease, whereas the thickness of the intima ≥1.3 mm was taken to be the criteria for the presence of an atherosclerotic aortic plaque on the transesophageal echocardiographic test. Results Among the 50 patients, 37 cases were diagnosed as CAD and 13 cases were considered to be normal. The plaques of the thoracic aorta were observed in 34 cases in the CAD group and 3 cases in the normal group. The sensitivity and specificity of aortic plaques for CAD were 91.9%and 76.9%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of the aortic plaques for CAD were 91.9%and 76.9%, respectively. The accuracy was 88.0%. 80 percent of the patients with single-vessel disease had thoracic aortic plaques, 92 percent of the patients with two vessel disease and 100 percent of the patients with three vessel disease had thoracic aortic plaques. There was a significant difference in the thickness of aortic intimas between the normal group and the CAD group. Conclusions Detecting atherosclerotic plaques in the thoracic aorta with transesophageal echocardiography may be of great value in predicting the presence and extent of coronary artery disease.

Endovascular Management of Aortic Arch Diseases:Current Status and Future Trends

Treatment of aortic arch(AA)diseases is challenging for surgeons.Conventional open surgery remains the“gold standard”but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality despite improvements in techniques.In the last 2 decades,thoracic endovascular aortic repair(TEVAR)has become the first-line treatment for diseases of the descending aorta,and its indications have expanded gradually.Various strategies have been proposed to preserve supra-aortic branches in TEVAR:hybrid technique,chimney technique,fenestration technique(including custom-made fenestrated or“scalloped”stent grafts,in situ fenestration,and physician-modified fenestration),and branched stent grafts.Though acceptable outcomes of endovascular aortic repair have been documented,the evidence regarding its long-term safety and efficacy is lacking,and concerns remain about the risk of cerebrovascular events,retrograde type-A dissection,endoleaks,and branch occlusion.This review discusses the current status and progress of endovascular repair of the AA,and looks toward future trends.We believe that multidisciplinary collaboration of a“HENDO”team(professionals in hybrid repair,endovascular repair,open surgery,cardiovascular anesthesia,and genetics)is essential for future repair of the AA to provide the optimal treatment.

Effect of pulmonary autograft transplantation in the surgical treatment of aortic valve disease

Background Aortic root replacement with pulmonary autograft （Ross procedure） has the advantages of good haemodynamics and growth potential without the need for anticoagulation. In this study, we reviewed our experience of the Ross procedure for patients with aortic valve disease. Methods From October 1994 to January 2005, 42 Ross procedures were performed in our centre. There were 30 males and 12 females. The mean age was 28＋15 years （range, 5-56 years）. Congenital heart disease （CHD） with aortic valve stenosis （AS） and/or aortic valve insufficiency （AI） in 40 cases including one associated with ventricular septal defect （VSD）, degenerated aortic valve disease with AS in 1 and subacutive bacterial endocarditis （SBE） with AI in 1 were studied. The diagnosis was made by ultracardiography （UCG） in all patients. The mean aortic valve annulus diameter （AVD） was （2.45±0.31） cm and pulmonary valve annulus diameter （MPVD） was （2.34±0.21） cm. All patients had normal pulmonary valves. The New York Heart Association （NYHA） function class was Ⅱ in 36 cases and Ⅲin 6 cases. The operation was performed under moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass （CPB） with aortic root replacement using pulmonary autograft and pulmonary valve replacement with a homograft. Results There was no early hospital mortality. Postoperative UCG showed normal aortic valve function in all our patients. The mean gradient across the aortic valve was （6.11±0.12） mmHg. The left ventricular diastole diameter （LVDD） decreased significantly from （62±5） mm to （56±3） mm （P 〈0.001）. The mean postoperative left ventricular ejective fraction （LVEF） was 0.49±0.23. All patients were in NYHA class Ⅰ-Ⅱ. Follow-up was completed in 38 cases for a mean period of 3.2 years （range 1-10 years）. All survivors were in NYHA class Ⅰ with normal neo-aortic and pulmonary valve function. One patient died after secondary operation due to homograft fungal endocarditis 1 year after the Ross procedure. The cause of death was uncontrolled bleeding. Another patient suffered from cardiogenic shock and was on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation （ECMO） for 10 days postoperatively. This patient was subsequently self-discharged from hospital due to financial issues and he was excluded from follow-up. Conclusion The Ross procedure is an excellent technique to treat aortic valve disease. Our data show that it can be performed safely with good early and mid-term clinical outcomes.

Oxidized phospholipids and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A_2 as important determinants of Lp(a) functionality and pathophysiological role

Lipoprotein（a） [Lp（a）] is composed of a low density lipoprotein（LDL）-like particle to which apolipoprotein（a）[apo（a）] is linked by a single disulfide bridge. Lp（a） is considered a causal risk factor for ischemic cardiovascular disease（CVD） and calcific aortic valve stenosis（CAVS）. The evidence for a causal role of Lp（a） in CVD and CAVS is based on data from large epidemiological databases, mendelian randomization studies, and genome-wide association studies. Despite the well-established role of Lp（a） as a causal risk factor for CVD and CAVS, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. A key role in the Lp（a） functionality may be played by its oxidized phospholipids（OxPL） content. Importantly, most of circulating OxPL are associated with Lp（a）; however, the underlying mechanisms leading to this preferential sequestration of OxPL on Lp（a） over the other lipoproteins,are mostly unknown. Several studies support the hypothesis that the risk of Lp（a） is primarily driven by its OxPL content.An important role in Lp（a） functionality may be played by the lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A_2（Lp-PLA_2）,an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of OxPL and is bound to plasma lipoproteins including Lp（a）. The present review article discusses new data on the pathophysiological role of Lp（a） and particularly focuses on the functional role of OxPL and Lp-PLA_2 associated with Lp（a）.

Upregulation of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein and Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 May Associate with Calcific Aortic Valve Disease

Objective:Calcific aortic valve disease(CAVD)affects millions of elderly people,and there is currently no effective way to stop or slow down its progression.Therefore,exploring the pathogenesis of CAVD is very important for prevention and treatment.Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein(COMP)have important role in cell phenotype change.This study is aimed to confirm whether COMP participate in CAVD and try to find the possible mechanisms.Methods:Human aortic valve tissues from Nanjing First Hospital(CAVD group,n=20;control group,n=11)were harvested.The expression level of COMP was tested by western blot and immunohistochemistry.Dual immunofluorescence staining was used for locating COMP.Bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP2)signalling were tested by western blot.The animal model was also used to detect COMP level by immunohistochemistry.Results:The results showed that the expression level of COMP was significantly increased in the calcific valve samples when compared with that of the control valve(P<0.05);COMP was expressed near the calcific nodules and co-localized with a-smooth muscle actin(a-SMA).The protein levels of BMP2 and p-Smads 1/5/9 were markedly more highly expressed in the CAVD group than the control group(P<0.05).Furthermore,immunofluorescence detection showed that COMP and BMP2 were co-located in calcific valves.Conclusions:The above results suggested that upregulation of COMP and BMP2 may be associated with aortic valve calcification and that COMP may become a potential therapeutic target in human CAVD.

Application of transesophageal echocardiography to aortic embolic stroke

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in exploring the potential embolic source (PES) in heart and aortic arch and to study the clinical significance of aortic arch atherosclerosis (AAA). METHODS: Forty-nine patients with cerebral embolism were included in this study. TEE and TTE were used to evaluate the potential source of emboli in aortic arch, heart and duplex in the carotid artery. An atherosclerotic lesion of the aortic arch was defined as normal, mild plaque, moderate plaque, and protruding plaque or mobile plaque. RESULTS: Of the 49 patients, 31 (63%) patients showed evidence of AAA: 7 (14.1%) patients were mild, 9 (18.4%) were moderate and 15 (30.6%) were severe. In those 15 patients, 11 had neither severe ICAA nor heart disease. Thirty-three patients had internal carotid arterial atherosclerosis (ICAA). The potential sources of embolization of heart and aortic arch is 48.98% by TEE, but only 18.4% by TTE; 9 patients had heart disease. Age and ICAA were significantly correlated with AAA. CONCLUSION: At present, TEE is a better method for exploring atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta. AAA is an important potential source of cerebral embolic stroke.

Aortic arch and intra-/extracranial cerebral arterial atherosclerosis in patients suffering acute ischemic strokes

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of aortic arch and intra/extracranial cerebral arterial atherosclerosis in Chinese patients who had suffered acute ischemic strokes. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients with acute ischemic strokes were included in this study. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was used to evaluate potential sources of embolisms in the aortic arch and in the heart; duplex ultrasound was used for the carotid artery; and intracranial Doppler (TCD) imaging was used for the middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA), posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and basilar artery (BA). An atherosclerotic lesion in the aortic arch was defined as normal (0); mild plaque (1); moderate plaque (2); and protruding plaque or mobile plaque (3). A lesion in the carotid artery was considered a plaque if the maximal carotid plaque thickness was 1.2 mm. TCD results were deemed abnormal if flow velocity was either greater or lower than normal, and, in the case of the MCA, if an asymmetry index above 21% was measured. RESULTS: Of the 89 patients, 52 (58.43%) patients showed evidence of aortic arch atherosclerosis (AAA), including 11 (12.36%) patients graded mild, 18 (20.22%) patients graded moderate, and 23 (25.84%) patients graded severe. Of the 23 patients with severe AAA, AAA was determined to be an important potential embolic source in 14 patients. Forty-nine (50.56%) patients had carotid arterial plaques (CAPs). The incidence of carotid plaques was higher among patients with AAA than among patients without AAA (71.15% vs 21.62%, OR = 3.291, 95% CI = 1.740 - 6.225, P