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- Rönning, Helén
(författare)
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Follow-up of adults with congenitally malformed hearts with focus on individualised and computer-based education and psychosocial support : A descriptive and interventional study
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background and aims: Many adults with congenitally malformed hearts are at risk for complications such as decreased function and capacity of the heart due to the heart defect and previously surgery. This advocates self-management behaviours related to medical treatments, physical activity, preventions of endocarditis, some restrictions regarding suitable employment and spare time activities, birth control and pregnancy, but also lifestyle concerns such as refraining from smoking and healthy eating. Sufficient knowledge and support are requirements for successful self-management. The overall aim of this thesis was to describe educational needs, develop a tool for assessing knowledge and to evaluate the effects of a follow-up model providing education and psychosocial support to adults with congenitally malformed hearts.Subjects and methods: Adults (≥18 years of age) with the ten most common heart defects namely ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, coarctation of the aortae, aortic valve stenosis (defined as uncomplicated heart defects) and tetralogy of Fallot, complete transposition of the great arteries, congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, Ebstein anomaly and Eisenmenger syndrome (defined as complicated heart defects) were included in the studies. To apprehend the educational needs (I), sixteen adults with heart malformations, ranging from 19-55 years of age, were interviewed and data were analysed qualitatively using phenomenographic method. As a tool to evaluate knowledge, an instrument named Knowledge scale for adults with Congenital Malformed Hearts (KnoCoMH) was developed and psychometrically evaluated (II) in 19 + 114 adults with the ten most common heart defects average age 34 ± 13.5. A model for follow-up was described and initially evaluated (III) by 55 adults with the most common heart defects and finally tested in a randomised controlled trial (IV) with a total of 114 adults with congenitally malformed hearts (56 participants in intervention group and 58 in control group with average age 34 ± 13.5). The intervention group recived a model for follow-up with individualise and computer-based eduction and psychosocial support by a multidisciplinary team.Results: Two-way communication when given information was found to be crucial in order to enhance knowledge (I). Knowledge was seen as a tool for managing important areas in life. The KnoCoMH (II) was found to be a valid and reliable scale and can now be used to estimate knowledge in adults with congenitally malformed hearts. The model for follow-up (III) was effective in improving and maintaining knowledge (IV) about self-management in adults with heart malformation.
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| 2. |
- Sederholm Lawesson, Sofia
(författare)
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Management and Outcome in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction from a Gender Perspective
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of this thesis was to evaluate baseline characteristics, management and outcome in real life ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] cohorts from a gender perspective. We aimed to evaluate the total STEMI population as well as certain subgroups, such as the youngest. Moreover we aimed to analyse gender differences in renal function, and the prognostic impact of reduced renal function in men and women with STEMI.In Paper I all STEMI patients registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1995 and 31st Dec 2006 were included, in total 54 146 patients, 35% women. Women were 7 years older than men, with 30 min longer median symptomto-door time. They had higher prevalence of co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and heart failure whereas men were more often smokers, had a previous myocardial infarction [MI] or were previously revascularised. During hospital care, fewer women than men, 63% vs. 72%, p<0.001, received acute reperfusion therapy, odds ratio [OR] 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79 – 0.88) after multivariable adjustment. Inhospital mortality was 13% vs. 7%, women vs. men, p<0.001. After multivariable adjustments women had 22% higher risk of in-hospital death, OR 1.22 (95% CI 1.11 – 1.33). Adding reperfusion therapy to the adjustment model did not change the odds of death, OR 1.21 (1.11 – 1.32). Stratifying the cohort into four age-groups revealed increased mortality with increasing age as well as higher mortality in women than in men in all groups. The multivariable adjusted risk in women relative to men was highest amongst the youngest, OR 1.45 (95% CI 0.98 – 2.14). The long term prognosis was assessed in women vs. men with Cox proportional regression analyses, follow-up time 1 to 13 years. Women had 8% lower risk of long term mortality after multivariable adjustments, and after age-stratifying, women had better long term survival in all age-groups, except the youngest.Previous studies based on mixed MI cohorts had found a gender-age interaction with higher risk of death women relative to men in the youngest group. In Paper II we included all STEMI patients <46 years old registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1995 and 31st Dec 2006, 1748 men and 384 women. Cardiovascular risk factors were common, and women had more often clustering of risk factors compared to men. The most prevalent risk factor was smoking, 64% of the women compared to 58% of the men were current smokers. There was no gender difference in delay times or in rate of reperfusion. Almost 60% of both women and men underwent coronary angiography within one week. There was no gender difference in prevalence of non-obstructive disease, (p=0.64), but men had had multi-vessel/left main disease much more often than women (33.6% vs. 19.2%; p<0.001). In-hospital mortality was low, 3% in women vs. 1% in men, crude OR women vs. men 2.83 (95% CI 1.32 – 6.03). Female gender appeared as an independent predictor in the multivariable model of in-hospital mortality, OR 2.85 (95% CI 1.31– 6.19). When the cohort was followed up to 10 years (mean 5.4 years) the risk of mortality was not higher in women (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.60 – 1.45; p=0.75), and men had significantly higher risk of a second new MI during the following 10 years, HR 1.82 (95% CI 1.25 – 2.65; p=0.002).In the beginning of the 21st century there was a shift in reperfusion strategy with a decline in use of fibrinolytic therapy and an increase in use of primary PCI. We hypothesised that the gender differences noticed during the fibrinolytic era with lower chance of receiving reperfusion therapy and higher risk of early mortality in women, would have diminished during the new primary PCI era, as this is a better reperfusion strategy, especially for women. In Paper III we included STEMI patients from two time periods with different dominating reperfusion strategies in order to compare management and outcome between genders in both periods. Patients in the early period (n=15 697, 35% women) were registered in RIKS-HIA between 1st Jan 1998 and 31st Dec 2000 and those in the late period (n=14 380, 35% women) between 1st Jan 2004 and 31st Dec 2006. Among patients treated with reperfusion therapy 9% in the early compared to 68% in the late period were treated with primary PCI. The use of reperfusion therapy increased between the two periods, in men from 70.9% to 75.3%, in women from 63.1% to 63.6%. After multivariable adjustment, women were 14% and 20% less likely than men to receive reperfusion therapy, early and late periods, respectively. Heart failure, cardiogenic chock and major bleedings were more common in women compared to men. Evidence-based secondary preventive therapies were prescribed more often in the late compared to the early period in both genders, but more seldom to women in both periods. After multivariable adjustments women still had less chance of receiving ACE-inhibitors/ARBs but higher chance of receiving statins in the early period. In the late period women had 14 – 25% less chance of receiving any of the evidence-based secondary preventive therapies.In Paper IV all consecutive patients who fulfilled the criteria for ST-elevation or bundle branch block on admission ECG and who were planned to undergo immediate coronary angiography with the intention to perform primary PCI at the Department of Cardiology in Linköping were included, 98 women and 176 men. Estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] according to Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study [MDRD] was calculated for all patients and they were staged into CKD stages 1-5. Estimated GFR was lower in women than in men, mean eGFR 54 vs. 68 mL/min/1.73m2, p<0.001. Ten men but no woman were classified belonging to the best CKD stage 1(eGFR >90 mL/min/1.73m2). In total 67% of women compared to 27% of men were classified as having renal insufficiency [RI] (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m2) and female sex was a strong independent factor associated with RI, OR 5.06 (95% CI 2.66 – 9.59). Reduced eGFR per 10 mL/min decline was independently associated to higher risk of death and MACE (death, new MI or stroke) within one year in women whereas we found no such associations in men. There was a borderline significant interaction between gender and eGFR regarding one year mortality (p=0.08) but not regarding MACE (p=0.11).As we found a remarkable gender difference in RI prevalence in Paper IV, we analysed an updated SWEDEHEART database including the years since S-creatinine became a mandatory variable to register. In Paper V all STEMI patients registered between 1st of Jan 2003 and 31st of Dec 2009 were included, in total 37 991 patients (36% women). RI was present in 38% in women vs. 19% in men according to MDRD and in 50% of men vs. 22% of men according to Cockcroft Gault [CG] (p<0.001 for both comparisons). Female gender was independently associated with RI regardless of used formula. In both genders, RI patients were older, had higher co-morbidity, suffered from more complications and had lower chance of receiving reperfusion therapy and evidence-based therapy at discharge compared to non RI patients. Among both RI and non RI patients, men had significantly higher chance than women of getting these therapies. In-hospital mortality was four to five times higher in RI vs. non RI patients. RI compared to non RI patients had approximately doubled risk of inhospital mortality in women and 2.5 times higher risk in men after multivariable adjustment. Regardless of used formula, the risk of dying at hospital increased with approximately 30% and the risk of long term mortality with approximately 10% in both genders per 10 mL/min decline of eGFR. There was no significant interaction between gender and eGFR regarding short- or long term outcome according to any of the formulas. Women had twice as high in-hospital and also higher cumulative long term mortality than men. After multivariable adjustments including all confounders except kidney function women had 7% lower risk of long term mortality but still 11% higher risk of in-hospital mortality. If eGFR according to any of the formulas was also included, there was no longer a gender difference regarding in-hospital mortality and women had lower risk of long term mortality. This was also the case if only adjusting for eGFR according to CG.Conclusion: In the real life STEMI setting, women were older with higher co-morbidity, longer delay, more complications and twice as high in-hospital mortality. They had significantly less chance of receiving acute reperfusion therapy, also after adjusting for possible confounders. During the fibrinolytic era women had higher risk of severe bleedings. We hypothesised that the gap in management would have decreased during the new primary PCI era, with a less time-dependent regime with less risk of fatal complications. Our hypothesis failed, and future studies ought to further scrutinise this gender difference in management. The less chance of reperfusion therapy did anyhow not explain the higher in-hospital mortality in women, which was 10-20% higher after multivariable adjustments, consistent with previous findings. Moderate to severe chronic kidney disease was very common in women with STEMI, 50% according to the Cockcroft Gault formula. Estimated GFR has seldom been taken into account in studies evaluating gender differences in outcome. If adjustment for eGFR was done, alone or added to the all other co-variates, women had no longer higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Adjusted long term outcome was better in women than in men, which was also the case in the youngest cohort when studied separately.
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| 3. |
- Tödt, Tim, 1964-
(författare)
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Strategies to improve outcome in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary PCI
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) caused by a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque with overlying thrombosis leads to ischemia and progressively to the death of the myocardial cells supplied by the affected coronary artery. Rapid reperfusion with primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) in an experienced centre is the preferred therapy for these patients. The aim of the research program on which this thesis is based was to study the effect of antiplatelet therapy with abciximab on coronary patency when administered early to an unselected cohort of patients with STEMI intended for primary PCI, to study the impact of health care delay time on infarct size measured with contrast enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ceMRI), and to evaluate if time delays could be reduced through reorganisation of logistics and personal feedback to staff involved in the care of STEMI patients. Finally measures of wall motion on cine MRI were evaluated to elucidate if functional measurements of the left ventricular wall could detect scar tissue visualised on ceMRI in a post-acute phase of primary PCI.Material and results: In paper I we report on a study of all consecutive patients who sustained a STEMI in 2005 in the county of Östergötland and who were to be treated with primary PCI. Abciximab given as pretreatment before (n=133) or at the cath-lab after a diagnostic angiography (n=109) was associated with a patent Infarct Related Artery (IRA), i.e. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow 2-3, in 45.9% of patients in the early group versus 20.2% in the cath-lab group, p=0.0001. There were no statistically significant differences in bleeding or mortality rate during the initial hospital stay, nor were there any significant differences between the groups during one-year follow up regarding a Major Adverse Cardiac Event (MACE).Paper II is based on an examination of 30 patients in a stable clinical condition with ceMRI 4-8 weeks after they had been treated with primary PCI because of STEMI. Patients were selected on the presence of extensive myocardial scar in the anteroseptal segments (n=17) or no scar visible at all in this area or in any other part of the myocardium (n=13). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the ability of a new feature tracking software to measure functional parameters of the heart. The left ventricular wall was divided into 18 segments and myocardial contraction was measured with velocity, displacement and strain in the longitudinal and radial direction. The software calculated a mean value for the 18 segments for each parameter. Receiver-operatorcharacteristics curves (ROC) were constructed. The best area-under-curve (AUC) was for radial strain where a cut-off value of 38.8% had 80% sensitivity and 86% specificity to detect segments with scar>50%.The impact of health care delay was examined in paper III based on a study in which 89 STEMI patients treated with primary PCI had their infarct size measured with ceMRI in the post-acute phase. Time from First Medical Contact (FMC) to a patent artery correlated weakly with infarct size, r=0.27, p=0.01. However, multivariable analysis showed the LAD as the Infarct Related Artery (IRA), active smoking and occlusion of the IRA at the time of the diagnostic angiogram were correlated with infarct size and that time from FMC to patent artery was not so correlated.Finally, in the study leading to paper IV, extensive measurements on time delays were performed on 67 consecutive patients with STEMI treated with primary PCI. Through collaboration with different stakeholders in the treatment of STEMI in the catchment area the following types of targeted refining of logistics were done; 1. Ambulance staff prioritise ECG recording, 2. Central evaluation of ECG in all patients with suspected STEMI, and 3. PCI team is ready to accept the patient when two out of three members are on site. Moreover, personal feedback on time delays for each STEMI patient was given to all staff involved in the treatment of the patient. Thereafter, all the time delays for a similar group of consecutive STEMI patients (n=89) were analysed and compared with the delays for the former group. Improvements seen in the post-intervention group were a reduction in time from ECG to cath-lab arrival by 11 minutes, p=0.02 and a non-significant decrease of FMC to a patent artery by six minutes. The main part of this improvement could probably be ascribed to the decision to see to it that an attending cardiologist was present 24/7 and to central evaluation of ECG.Conclusion: Abciximab given as pre-treatment to patients with STEMI intended for primary PCI was associated with a patent artery in 46% of patients. Moreover, we demonstrated a relationship between health care delay time and infarct size. This delay time could be reduced by a reorganisation of logistics and personal feedback on time delays. Finally, feature tracking analysis of cine MR images could detect segments with extensive myocardial scar in anterior infarction with 80% sensitivity and 86% specificity.
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