Biomedical subjects

Francis D Pagani

Publications and source records attributed to Francis D Pagani.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Influence of age on outcomes in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Although increasing age has been associated with greater risk of mortality for patients undergoing mitral valve replacement, it is less clear whether this elevated risk is related to age-related differences in comorbidity or other clinical characteristics. METHODS: A population of 31,688 patients from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Cardiac Database undergoing mitral valve replacement either alone or in combination with coronary artery bypass grafting or tricuspid surgical procedures from 1997 to 2000 was examined to assess age-related variation in clinical features, morbidity, and mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the effect of age after adjusting for other known risk factors. A classification tree was used to identify low-risk elderly (> or = 75 years) patients. RESULTS: Operative mortality increased four-fold from 4.1% in patients aged less than 50 years up to 17.0% in patients aged 80 years or more. Similarly, major operative complications (stroke, prolonged ventilation, reoperation for bleeding, renal failure, and sternal infection) also increased with age, rising from 13.5% (age < 50 years) to 35.5% (age > or = 80 years). Multivariable adjustment attenuated the odds of operative mortality, but age remained a significant risk factor. After adjusting for other patient risk factors, age accounted for 13% and 10% of the explainable risk for mortality and morbidity, respectively. Among the elderly, four variables (hemodynamic instability, New York Heart Association class IV, renal failure, and concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting) were identified to distinguish levels of risk, from operative mortality rates exceeding 31% to those with 7.7% mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Operative mortality and morbidity rise with increasing age of patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. Although this excess risk is partially a result of increased comorbid burden and other operative factors, age remains an independent powerful risk factor for operative risk for mitral valve replacement. Understanding the relationship of age with other risk factors for mitral valve replacement can help stratify risk, enabling physicians to identify lower risk patients.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Safety and efficacy of atorvastatin in heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Pravastatin and simvastatin prolong survival and reduce transplant-related coronary vasculopathy, although low-density lipoprotein (LDL) lowering with these agents is only modest. The objective of this study was to assess the safety of moderate dose atorvastatin and its efficacy when prior treatment with another statin had failed to lower LDL to < 100 mg/dl. METHODS: Data from 185 patients were retrospectively evaluated for adverse events, duration of exposure (person-days), and the mean atorvastatin dose exposure. Changes in lipid parameters, and prednisone and cyclosporine doses were determined. RESULTS SAFETY: 48 patients received atorvastatin for 24,240 person-days at a mean dose exposure of 21 +/- 10 mg. Rhabdomyolysis, myositis, myalgias, and hepatotoxicity occurred in 0, 2, 2, and 0 patients, respectively. All events occurred at the 10-mg dose, within the first 3 months, and were rapidly reversible with atorvastatin discontinuation. EFFICACY: Thirty-four patients evaluable for efficacy analyses had a pre-atorvastatin LDL of 145 +/- 38 mg/dl on the following statins: pravastatin (n = 30, 40 +/- 0mg), fluvastatin (n = 3, 33 +/- 12 mg), simvastatin (n = 1, 40 mg). After atorvastatin (21 +/- 9 mg/day) for 133 +/- 67 days, LDL was reduced to 97 +/- 24 mg/dl (relative reduction 31 +/- 20%, p < 0.0001). At the end of the observation period (418 +/- 229 days, atorvastatin final dose 24 +/- 14 mg/day), LDL was further decreased to 88 +/- 23 mg (relative reduction 37 +/- 17%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin, when used at moderate doses and with close biochemical and clinical monitoring, appears to be safe and is effective in aggressively lowering LDL in heart transplant recipients when treatment with other statins has failed to achieve LDL goals.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac pseudosarcomatous fibromyxoid tumor: a review of the literature.

A cardiac pseudosarcomatous fibromyxoid tumor (PFT) is described in a previously healthy 35-year-old man, together with a review of the literature. Pseudosarcomatous fibromyxoid tumor is within the spectrum of inflammatory (myofibroblastic) pseudotumors. It has previously been described predominantly within the genitourinary tract and respiratory tract. Inflammatory pseudotumor is rare as a cardiac tumor, and cardiac PFT is not previously reported. No recurrence or metastatic disease has been reported after resection of PFTs elsewhere in the body, and this tumor seems to have a benign clinical course.

Adult↗